


One Temptation

by thelightreader



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Angst, Blood and Injury, Boxer Levi Ackerman, Bruises, Depression, Doctor Hange Zoë, Dom/sub, Dominant Erwin Smith, Eventual Levi/Erwin Smith, Fighter Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Fist Fights, French-Speaking Levi Ackerman, Friendship/Love, Hange Zoë & Levi Are Best Friends, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Karate, Kenny Ackerman Being an Asshole, Levi is Bad At Feelings (Shingeki no Kyojin), Levi-centric (Shingeki no Kyojin), Light BDSM, M/M, Medical Trauma, New York City, Professor Erwin Smith, Submissive Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), UFC, Ultimate Fighting Championship, mikasa is a bad bitch
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-13 14:33:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 47,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29030226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thelightreader/pseuds/thelightreader
Summary: Levi is the Featherweight Champ. Despite his small size, he packs a punch. College roommates, Hange and Erwin support Levi in his goal to be the best fighter of all time. Rumor has it that someone is after his title after a three-year undefeated streak. Suppressed tension between friends leads to one of the biggest scandals of the Fighting World.
Relationships: Levi/Erwin Smith
Comments: 72
Kudos: 99





	1. chapter one

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! Woah, can you believe AOT has been out for almost 8 years? I always held it so close to my heart all these years and especially this ship. Please enjoy. I do watch UFC, but I don't know everything. My boyfriend is my greatest resource on this subject, he's getting suspicious of my questioning. Enjoy!

“I may be 5’3 but I can still kick your ass.” Levi hissed in pain as Hange poured over saline on his split open knuckles. 

“Not when you’re like this,” her eyebrows furrowed as they wiped away the caked-on blood, “Jesus Christ, what was Kenny having you do today?” Hange examined his hands now that they were free of the dried blood and just the raw wound on his hands. 

“Board punches.” 

Hange tsked and shook their head, “I still don’t understand why he doesn’t have you wrap your hands for practice.” 

Levi shrugged slightly looking at his friend of the last seven years, “Builds character.” 

“It also builds scar tissue.” Hange wrapped his hands with gauze and started going over it with the wrap. 

Erwin was standing behind Hange watching with careful eyes as they wrapped Levi’s hands, “They’re right, Levi. You really should be more careful about abusing yourself.”

“You guys have known me since I was 19, since when I have I gotten seriously hurt?” 

That was true, they were all roommates at one point in college, all going to the same parties, study groups. And it was also true that they have never seen Levi seriously injured after a fight or practice. Levi is a professional fighter in the UFC, undefeated for his weight class of Featherweight. His small stature proved to be a great asset to taking down opponents twice his size. He started when he was 18 in ranked fights, and now nearing 30, he’s proven himself in the fighting world that he’s not one to be messed with. Last pay-per-view fight he was in, he sent his opponent to the hospital after a backspin kick straight to the face, his mouthpiece flew out of the octagon.

Hange and Erwin were his best friends, Erwin still being his roommate to this day, with how often Levi was out of the house training and going to different fights to help train other athletes, the apartment was close to Columbia University where Erwin was a professor in History. It made sense for them to split the rent and Erwin pretty much had the apartment to himself most days. Hange lived in the UpTown district as they were finishing their residency at the hospital. Hange was Levi’s personal doctor and traveled with him to all the pay-per-view fights since they both got a good chunk of change for attending.

“You have Las Vegas in 7 days, if you split these again you’ll probably need stitches and then I won’t let you fight,” Hange stated and Levi gave out a sigh retracting his hands back to his chest. 

“I ordered Thai food.” Erwin stated and Hange’s eyes immediately perked up, “Should be here shortly.” 

“You got the pad thai with shrimp and a-” 

Levi was cut off by Erwin, “With a large Thai tea, yes. Also ordered you an extra side of rice.” 

A small smile broke on Levi’s lips, “You know me so well.” 

Shortly after the food arrived and they finished, Levi was making a mug of tea for everyone, Hange was scrolling through Netflix trying to find the film of the night to watch. Even though they had an apartment of their own, they always tended to spend more time at Levi’s than their own. 

“Ah-ha!” they exclaimed as Levi walked over with the tray of three mugs and placed it on the coffee table. He reached down for his mug and placed himself in his spot on the couch. 

This was the comforting rhythm they had with each other, Levi would sip on a cup of tea. Erwin stretched out on the loveseat portion of the couch, glasses perched on the end of his nose with his arms behind his head. Hange curled up in the throw blankets at the other end. Levi in the middle, cross-legged with an ice-pack on some part of his body that was bugging him from the day's training. Despite Hange’s weekly enthusiasm to watch a movie with their best friends, they were always the first to knock out snoring within the first 30 minutes of the movie. 

Erwin was the next, getting through half of the chamomile tea Levi would make, his head turned away from the screen, breathing deeply. Levi would be the last, getting through at least two more cups of tea and the entire movie. Teasing the two of them the next morning about how good the movie was, as the two would stretch the kinks of their necks when he would get back from his morning run. 

Hange stretched out, looking at their watch, “Fuck! I’m late!” like a magic trick, within two minutes and a bagel in their mouth and the collection of things about to fall out of the backpack, they were out the door. 

Erwin collected the cups from the night before meeting Levi in the kitchen as the smaller shook a protein shake together. He placed the mugs in the sink and began to wash them, knowing Levi would literally put him in a chokehold if he didn’t do it straight away. 

“Mike called while I was out on my run,” Levi stated as he sat down on the barstool, Erwin’s back to him. 

“Oh yeah? You two are still gonna go on your trip this year soon?” Erwin asked

“Yeah, we haven’t decided where yet though, I was thinking maybe Iceland this year.” 

Mike had been Levi’s first friend in the fighting world, when Levi started college in New York, Mike was recruiting members to join his Karate Dojo. Mike was his spark that he needed to get back into his practice after he lost everything that made him love jiu-jitsu. Ten years his senior, Mike was able to help him get his name in professional fighting and introduced him to his now sensei Kenny Ackerman. Their bond was unbreakable even after Mike moved to California to start a family. 

Levi chugged down the rest of his protein shake and stood next to Erwin, stealing the water to rinse out the shaker. Their size difference startled several of their friends, especially after finding out who Levi actually was and how dangerous he could be. Lord knows Erwin would never try to piss Levi off. Several times when Levi would lose his temper, Erwin’s watched him break a punching bag. He didn’t know that so much power could come from such a small man that holds his mugs a little funny and sleeps with a plushy heated blanket. 

* * *

It was the night of the fight and Levi was sitting in his hotel room, headphones covering his ears, watching Kenny’s feet pace in front of him. He barely made weight and he was paying for it. The last three hours of cutting weight nearly made him pass out yesterday, to the point where Hange was ready to call everything off and take him to the hospital. Kenny was visibly disappointed in him, shaking his head as Levi stood on the scale and the announcer saying he made it. As soon as he walked off the scale he grabbed the water bottle from Hange and chugged most of it. 

Weight cutting was the hardest part of his job, you see, his weight class is Featherweight which is between 135-145 pounds. On a normal day, Levi weighed 152 pounds of pure muscle, thus giving him the advantage against his opponents that are easily 6-8 inches taller than him. 

Hange was getting his bandages ready to wrap up his wrists on the other bed, watching Kenny stop in front of Levi and rip off his headphones. Levi flinched, taken off guard. “Watch what happens if you fuck this up.” Kenny sneered. 

“Kenny, you know cutting isn’t good for me, why won’t you just let me move up a fucking weight class, I can handle it!” Levi argued. 

Hange chimed in before they could argue further, putting themselves between in the two, “Hands.” 

Levi sighed giving his hands to Hange, his leg shaking up and down, an anxiety tic he’s had since he was young. Hange carefully wrapped his hands for the fight, his knuckles had healed nicely, but they knew they would be cleaning either Levi’s blood or his opponents in an hour off of his face and hands. 

They finished wrapping his hands and Levi grabbed his hoodie throwing it over his head and pulling on black sweats and his trainers. Soon the three were out the hotel door and made their way downstairs towards the arena, he could already hear the crowd whooping and hollering at the competitors in the ring now. 

It was the prelims happening with a bunch of new faces that he has never seen before. The amount of times people would drop out after their first ass handing he never bothered to pay attention to their names unless they posed an actual threat to him. It was an hour until his fight, so Hange and him sat down to watch the girls duke it out. 

Levi was scrolling on his phone barely paying attention when Hange nudged him, “She’s good.” 

Levi looked up at the screen, seeing the girl with short black hair absolutely deck the blonde, causing a knockout. 

“Shit, is that her first round?” Levi asked and Hange nodded. 

“Mikasa Ackerman. Heh, funny, so many Ackerman’s in this fight.” Hange laughed. 

Levi studied the replay playing on the big screen. She was good; he had to admit that, her footwork was incredible and her precision was sharp. He watched the president of the UFC, Pyxis walkout and lift up Mikasa’s hand in victory. 

Hange let out a curious hum as they typed something on their phone, “Apparently her brother is in the next round, your weight division.” 

“If they're actually blood-related he could pose a threat, but we'll just have to see.” 

The ring crew worked on cleaning up the blood from the last girl's broken nose. The one thing that Levi found absolutely disgusting about fighting later on in the night is that all the blood from the previous fights would be on the mat by the time he stepped in. 

Levi watched intensely as Eren, the adopted brother to Mikasa, Hange also googled, stepped into the ring. 

His phone buzzed in his pocket, he reached in pulling it out, pulling up the text.

_Good luck!_

Attached was a photo of Erwin giving two thumbs up with Levi’s face in the background on the TV and several of their friends drinking. He smiled at the photo and nudged Hange showing them, “Looks like they're having a party without us.”

“Awww, I didn’t know he was having a watch party, oh..” They furrowed his eyebrows and took Levi’s phone, “Who’s that?” 

Levi leaned over, Hange was pointing at a petite blonde girl underneath Erwin’s arm, “I don’t know. As long as the place is clean when I get home and I don’t find condoms in the bathroom I don’t care who he has over.” 

“Pfft, oh yes you do, don’t lie.” 

Levi gave them a stern look, _Don’t talk about this here…_

The fight between Eren Jaeger and Jean Kristein started and Levi’s full attention went to it. Eren was good, definitely not as good as his sister before him. Eren managed to land a left hook straight into Jean’s face that wobbled him backward, although he didn’t go down, he was definitely seeing stars. Eren’s footwork was sloppy but surprisingly effective. Jean was quicker than Eren, but Eren either blocked or dodged every blow Jean was trying to hit. The first round ended and both parties were bleeding from grazes on their foreheads. Jean limped to his corner from the last kick he tried to throw against Eren’s side. 

“Levi!” 

His head snapped towards Kenny who was waving them over, “Warmup.” 

He nodded and immediately his head was put into work mode. They walked back into the warm-up area away from all the cameras and the crowd. Hange was digging through the bag, getting out his gloves for them to be checked by the safety team. 

Erwin was sitting on the couch with Histori, Ymir, and Marco of Levi and his apartment. Every fight Levi was in he would get everyone together and order pizza and get some beers to enjoy the fights. 

“Ohh, that must've hurt.” Historia flinched as Jean knocked out at the end of the third round. 

“He’s good, I wonder if Levi was watching it,” Marco asked.

Erwin shook his head, “Nah, he’s already in the back talking shit to Aiblinger.” He took a swig from his beer and stood up, offering to grab another for anyone. 

As he walked to the kitchen to grab another round for everyone, they were already introducing Levi’s fight with a video of a majority of his takedown in recent years. It still amazed Erwin that the size difference between Levi and his opponents was drastic. Levi took down all of them with ease, his smallness allowed him to escape armbars and dodge legs flying his way. 

After the video finished, the camera panned down showing Levi walking out, his chest piece tattoo peaking through his unzipped hoodie. His eyes were dark and focused, Hange’s hand was on his shoulder and Kenny on his other. He stepped up to the referee and began stripping down to his shorts. The camera caught the perfect angle of his back tattoo. A set of wings one blue and one white took up his entire back, script at the top on the left reading Farlan and the right Isabel. 

Levi gave Hange a smile, Erwin figured they must have cracked a joke, Levi popped in his mouthpiece and stood to get the grease applied onto his face to hopefully prevent any cuts from the gloves.

Levi nodded at Kenny and made his way up the octagon. The crowd was crazy since he walked out, but was growing increasingly louder. Levi had been undefeated for almost three years, he was considered a God in his weight division and the president of the UFC thought he was the deadliest in the last twenty years. 

Levi walked up to Aiblinger, his opponent for the night and the referee spoke, “UFC Featherweight Champions, I want you to protect yourself at all times, and obey my commands at all times, fight hard and fight clean. If you want to touch gloves, do so at this time.” 

Levi and Aiblinger tapped their gloves together and it was on.

  
  



	2. chapter two

Levi was resting on the couch back in New York, scrolling on his phone while Erwin was grading papers on the kitchen table. After a fight, he takes a week off from training aside from going to the gym. He retained his title but not without having a gash above his eye. Hange was going to come over later to remove the three stitches. He sighed, throwing his phone down on the coffee table in boredom. As he sat up, his eyes caught Erwin’s back, still in his dress shirt from teaching earlier in the day. His sleeves were rolled up, his hand picked the red pencil from behind his ear and the other reached for the whiskey glass to his left. 

Levi had no idea how long he was staring when Erwin finally turned in the chair, his arm hanging over the back, “Want to have a drink with me?” 

Levi nodded a little too quickly, “Sure.” 

He walked over to the small bar cart they had near the kitchen and poured himself a drink, he brought the decanter with him, refilling up Erwin’s glass. When he sat down opposite Erwin he finally noticed Erwin’s eyes on him the whole time. 

“How are you liking the job?” Levi asked. 

Erwin picked up the red pencil again, “I love it,”

This was Erwin’s proper first semester with a full class, last year he was a TA while finishing out his Master’s degree, having such high marks in the class, the university offered him a teaching position and he jumped on the opportunity. As much as he missed home, he couldn’t imagine leaving New York, especially not now. 

“So who did you have over at the little party last week?” Levi questioned, taking a sip from his whiskey. 

“Ummm, Marco, Ymir, Historia.” 

“Was Historia the cute little blonde one?” 

Erwin smirked, putting down his pencil and reaching for his glass, “Yeah, she is cute.” 

“Have you gone on a date with her yet?” Levi cupped the glass between his two hands, lifting his legs to sit cross-legged in the dining chair. 

“I took her out to dinner the other night, I’m impressed you didn’t hear anything.” Erwin cocked an eyebrow. 

Levi did hear it, he heard all of it. He shrugged casually, a drop of whiskey ran down his glass from his last sip, his thumb catching it before it beaded off the glass.

“Selective hearing.” he licked the tip of his thumb seeing Erwin’s eyes flicker down. 

Erwin has had his fair share of girlfriends in the last 7 years that Levi has known him, although none of them last for more than a few months whether that be Levi's threatening personality against them or the fact that Erwin is really bad at relationships is subject to debate. Levi was gay, gayer than gay, but he would never let that information out into the public. Every one-night stand that he would have would be either too drunk to even know who he was, or he'd slip out very early in the morning before they woke up. So far his method worked, he wasn’t outed yet. 

“Do you care if I have women over?” Erwin asked as he refilled Levi’s glass. 

Levi shook his head, “Not at all, just get rid of the evidence, I don’t want to see condoms in the bathroom. I didn’t this time so good job.” 

Erwin’s phone buzzed on the table and Hange’s face popped up on the caller ID, he slid open the phone answering the call, and putting it on speakerphone, “You’re on speakerphone.”

“Awwww, that means I can’t talk shit about Levi, NOT ANSWERING MY TEXTS.” 

They both laughed at their friend’s frustration, “Sorry, I’m not near my phone.”

“Anyways, Nanaba and a few of us wanna get drinks, do you wanna come?” 

Erwin and Levi looked at each other and Erwin quickly abandoned his papers and rushed into his room, Levi laughed lightly taking that as a yes, “Sure, send us the address and we’ll meet you there.”

Levi ended the call and stood up finishing off his whiskey, we walked up the stairs to his room to get changed out of his sweats and hoodie he was wearing. He opened up his closet pulling out a black dress shirt with a slim fit pair of slacks. After he got changed, he walked back down the stairs, his dress shoes making like clicks on the metal staircase. He moved into the shared bathroom, Erwin already changed and brushed his hair back with product. Levi ducked underneath him to grab his small selection of cologne spraying it on the face of his wrist and running it under his ears. 

“I’m ready when you are,” Erwin stated, putting his comb back into its place. 

* * *

The last bit of the sun was fading away as they walked down the street, the bar that Hange sent to them wasn’t far away and they opted to walk there. Levi pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his jacket pocket and lit one up offering one to Erwin. 

“Can we share, I don’t want a full one?” 

Levi nodded taking a long drag and pocketing the rest of the pack.

They walked in silence, passing the cigarette back and forth, Levi took the last bit before entering into the bar stomping it out on the cement. Erwin held open the door for Levi as they entered the building, they walked into the elevator and headed up to the top floor of the building. 

The music was loud and very busy, everyone getting off from work looking to drink away the days' stress seemed to be there. Hange spotted them as they walked in and a high-pitched squeal came running towards them. 

“Yay! I’m so happy you came, oh my god this is going to be so much fun!” Hange was out of their usual working scrubs and in a white flowy blouse and black skinny jeans. Levi could make out lipstick under the dark lighting and he smiled, he could tell they were excited and in a good mood. They grabbed Levi and Erwin’s hands dragging them to their group of friends.

“Everyone, this is Erwin and Levi, we went to college together.” Erwin smiled warmly introducing himself to all of Hange’s co-workers shaking everyone's hands. 

Hange grabbed underneath Levi’s arm and dragged him in further, “Moblit, Nifa, this is Levi, he’s the one I keep talking about.” 

Nifa smiled stretching out her hand, finally someone the same height as him, “So you’re the famous Levi, Molblit and I watched your recent fight last week. You’re incredible, Moblit is a huge fan.” 

Levi looked up at Moblit who was nervously sipping on his drink, “Well, nice to meet you guys, if you’d excuse me.” 

Levi dipped out of the conversation making his way to the bar and taking place on a stool, the bartender asked him what he wanted, “A shot, anything, I’m gonna be here for a while.” 

The bartender poured his shot and Levi pulled out his wallet and placed down his AMEX card. Fighting professionally proved to provide a good living. With four proper UFC fights a year it set him up very nicely, not to mention all the coaching he does around the country virtually and physically. 

“And that group over there, all the doctors that know too much, I’m paying for everything.” 

* * *

Levi was sipping on his third drink of the night, standing outside against the balcony with an unlit cigarette hanging from his mouth, watching his friends inside socialize. He was never one for bars and parties, but he went nevertheless and always enjoyed watching his friends. Erwin pushed open the door to the balcony, the noise from outside pouring out, Erwin held up his lighter to lit up Levi’s cigarette, Levi could smell the alcohol coming from Erwin’s breath as he sighed and leaned next to him lighting up his own. 

“God you ask them one question and they go into full lecture mode.” 

Levi laughed lightly, “Ah, that’s doctors for you. Hange never shuts up, I can’t imagine ten of them. There’s a reason I’m not in there.” 

Erwin smiled lightly turning towards him, “You should go dance with Hange.” 

“I’m not drunk enough for dancing yet.” 

“You could dance with me…” 

“You’re drunk enough, there's a pretty little redhead in there, go dance with her.” 

Erwin shook his head, “Already tried, she keeps looking for you.” 

“Did you tell her I don’t bat for her team?” Levi downed the rest of his drink. 

“You and I both know that’s not a good idea,” Erwin stated, Levi went to take his first step and wobbled slightly, Erwin’s arm immediately coming around his waist to steady him. 

“Easy there, maybe you’re drunker than you thought.” 

Levi felt his heart rate increase with how close Erwin was, his cheeks were already flushed from the liquor, but he felt them growing redder.

“Maybe I’ll go dance with the redhead, fluff up the press if there are cameras around.” Levi smiled and moved Erwin’s hand off of his waist and ashed his cigarette, wobbling back into the crowded bar. 

Hange face was right into his when he walked in, they were holding two shots and held one to Levi’s chest, “Dance with me damnit!” 

Levi took the shot and downed it, letting Hange drag him straight into the floor into the crowd of people.  _ Helena Beat _ by Foster the People was playing. 

Everything after the last shot hit him was blurry, there were beads of sweat on his brow as he danced with Hange, several other people were with them in the little bubble they built. The redhead that Levi spotted earlier in the night had made her way in front of him. Like clockwork, he saw a flash in the corner of his eye when he wrapped his arms around the skinny redhead. Someone was taking photos. 

Erwin was standing back by the bar, attempting to sober up with some water, knowing that his friends were going to be too drunk to make it home afterward. Erwin watched as Levi grabbed the girl's hips bringing their bodies together, foreheads touching and several other flashes went off around them, grinding together. Levi sure knew how to make a show if he knew cameras were around. 

An hour later, Levi came out of the dance floor, glistening with sweat and slurring his words. He sat down next to Erwin and put his head down on the counter, “Drank too much?” Erwin chuckled.

Levi nodded, within that hour Hange was able to get him two more shots and he was paying for it. Erwin slid him the glass of water and Levi chugged it down. Hange came out, struggling just as bad as Levi was, maybe a little worse. 

“I think I better get you two out of here before you pass out,” Erwin stated, shaking his head at his drunk friends. 

Levi stood up a little too quickly, stumbling into Erwin, holding onto his coat to prevent him from falling, the smell of embers and leather filling his nose making him grab on tighter. Erwin had his right arm wrapped around Levi’s shoulders pretty much taking the entire weight of the shorter man as he stumbled into the elevator. Hange was holding onto Erwin’s arm, eyes barely opened. 

When they made it to the street, Erwin hailed a cab and all three of them piled in, Levi ending up sitting on Erwin’s lap. His large hands resting on Levi’s small waist trying to move him from up from sitting directly on his growing hardon

Levi huffed sliding to the middle of the two, his leg still hanging over Erwin’s knee, “Not my fault your giant ass takes up most of the seat.” Levi slurred his head rolling back onto Erwin’s shoulder. 

Erwin said the address to the taxi driver and within a few minutes, they were back at the apartment. It was a struggle getting the two through the door, Levi was already stripping off his jacket, tossing it on the back of the chair, falling face-first into the couch groaning. Hange slipped off their flats and took place on the chair leaning back, already passed out snoring. Erwin just smiled; he enjoyed seeing his two friends actually have fun for once. He walked into the kitchen getting glasses of water for both of them and placing them on the coffee table. He grabbed two throw blankets covering the snoring Hange with one and Levi with the other. Erwin was about to walk away to his room when he noticed Levi still had his shoes on, he sat down, putting Levi’s legs in his lap, and removed his shoes placing them neatly near the staircase. Levi brought up his legs curling underneath the throw breathing deeply already fast asleep. 

Erwin sat down next to Levi’s head leaning back on the couch, he grabbed the throw pillow to place it underneath his head, but Levi already moved up his head resting against Erwin’s thigh. He could have moved, he could have replaced his thigh with the pillow in his hand, but he didn't. He stared at Levi’s relaxed face, lightly moving his fallen hair to get a better view. He carefully moved his legs up onto the loveseat, Levi moving with him pretty much using Erwin’s full lap as his pillow. He leaned his head back, taking in the comfort that the fact that he knew people he cares about the most were back home. 

* * *

When Levi woke up, his head was splitting, the light was barely starting to pour through the east-facing window. He breathed in the familiar scent of leather and embers snuggling further into it. He usually woke up so cold, but whatever was covering him made him overly warm. He slowly opened his eyes seeing his placement. Erwin had him wrapped up in the throw blanket, legs tangled together. His eyes widened looking up at Erwin’s still sleeping scruffy face. 

“Fuck…” he mouthed remaining still until he heard a small snore come from Erwin’s throat. He slowly moved Erwin’s arms from around him and slipped out as slowly as possible to keep him from waking up. Replacing himself with the blanket and a pillow that Erwin hugged tightly, rolling onto his side. 

“Fuck…” he mouthed again, looking over at Hange who was laying at a strange angle but still passed out. 

He tiptoed past them and into the bathroom shutting and locking the door behind him leaning against the sink and running the cold water. He barely started to notice the hardon he had. 

“Cold shower...cold shower…” He mumbled and started stripping down, turning on the water. 

After thirty minutes in the shower, he finally emerged, towel hanging low on his hips the other rubbing his hair back and forth drying it. He opened up the door with his dirty clothes in hand, looking up and seeing Erwin leaning against the doorframe.

“Done? I’ve had to piss for the last 15 minutes, I wasn't sure what you were doing in there though.” Erwin gave a grin and winked. 

“Taking a shit if you must know.” He lied and quickly walked past making his way up the stairs and closing the door behind him. 

He looked for his phone in the pocket of his slacks before throwing them into the hamper. 

Two missed calls from Mike

One message from Kenny

_ 9 am.  _

Levi looked up at the time at the top of his phone at 8:15, too late to run to the dojo, he’ll have to take a cab if he wants to make it on time. He quickly got dressed in his karate pants and a t-shirt with Kenny’s dojo logos on the front and back, he threw his gi shirt in his duffle bag and grabbed a pair of tennis shoes from his closet. He grabbed a bagel from the counter, passing Erwin making coffee. He didn’t even look at him while he made his way past grabbing granola bars out from the pantry before running out the door. 

The door closed behind him walking up the sleeping Hange with a yelp. 

“Oh, he’s frustrated...ohhhhh my head.” Hange groaned, rubbing their eyes under their glasses. 

“Coffee?” Erwin offered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my oh my, I couldn't help myself. Instead of studying for my sociology class I was writing this all night and this morning. I'm having far too much fun with this ship. I know that the manga is ending soon so I hope I can get in the levi x erwin fix we all need. Thanks for reading. I love comments btw!


	3. chapter three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike comes into the picture finally. *insert cute moment*

Breathe. 

Levi kept telling himself as he threw his fist into the punching bag. 

“You’re not focused. Your eyes keep shifting.” 

He kicked at the bag, making it swing backward touching the brick wall. As it swung back towards him, his fist stopped the momentum. Kenny had a smile on his face as he watched his student grow angrier. 

“Good. Five more minutes then grapple with Gordon.” 

“Yes, sir.” He continued to punch the bag, practicing his footwork, the back of his t-shirt already soaked with sweat.

This was such a release for him, exercising and practicing was what he truly loved. If he was to have an injury he went nuts. Being stuck in his body and unable to get rid of his aggressions made him go crazy. Ever since losing the two people he cared about the most, he thought he lost himself. Unable to even get out of bed from a knee injury from the accident, when he moved to New York and was walking down the street from his dorm and met Mike, he felt like he finally would be able to move on. His knee got stronger, although always the weaker of the two, his love for MMA was rekindled instantly.

Levi was hyper-focused on the bag, his thoughts taking him away from his surroundings. The final kick with his left leg made him feel a twinge of pain in his knee which shocked him back to reality grabbing onto the bag to steady it. His breathing labored and sweat dripping from his hair onto the floor. 

He ripped off the boxing gloves grabbing the towel on top of his bag wiping away the sweat, throwing it back on top of his bag. Kenny liked Levi to work with the middle of the day class when he was in New York training, being that most of them were more advanced in the practice. Kenny blew the whistle in his mouth and everyone stood up from grappling with the current person. Levi took his place in front of Gordon who had this horrible worried look on his face. 

Levi couldn’t help but laugh, “Just tap out if I go too far. I won’t hurt you.” 

“It’ll be two seconds, last time you had my face on the mat and I twisted my shoulder out.” 

Levi motioned for Gordon to come at him, “You’re fine, start.”

Gordon shook his head getting ready in his stance lunging at Levi. He let Gordon take him down on the ground and get Levi onto his stomach into a submissive pose. Levi quickly pushed his shoulders underneath him, Gordon losing his balance tipping forward. Levi immediately took his opportunity and sent him straight into the ground switching positions and taking Gordon’s arm behind him making him submit by tapping out. 

Levi relapsed Gordon’s arm as it fell to the mat, “You’re getting better, still need to keep your balance centered. Don’t let yourself tip forward, you lose all control that way.” Levi stood up and helped Gordon up. 

“Again.” 

* * *

Levi was laying down stretching his back out on a foam roller, face covered with a cold towel trying to cool down. The class had long left and Levi and Kenny had been working on a new combination for the last few hours. Levi had a meeting with a student that has been working with Mike in California, a phone call with UFC producers on a new video of him training to post online, and another two private lessons with some of Kenny’s other up and coming students from across the country. Levi was finally done for the day. His stomach growled realizing he just had a bagel and whatever granola bars he brought just his three hours here he’d burned whatever the calories were from the bagel and all the alcohol yesterday. 

Kenny walked out of his office, “Oi. Levi, I need you to come watch this.” 

Levi sighed, pulling the towel down off of his face, he stood up and put the foam roller into his proper place, tossing the towel over his shoulder. 

“This Jaeger kid from Germany is good,” he stated.

“He’s the one from the last fight right?” Levi followed Kenny into his office, dragging a chair, turning it around sitting on his backwards, watching the video Kenny had of the recent training video Jeager posted on his YouTube. 

Kenny took to his chair leaning back, “He’s young but so far is beating the shit out of everyone. He started as a kickboxer and recently got a contract with UFC about a year ago. The kid is doing six UFC ranked fights a year.” 

“Jesus…” Levi forced himself to do at least four fights a year, but six was insane on the body. 

Levi studied Jaeger’s training video, the kid was good, still messy with his footwork, but the last strikes pushed his trainer backward and Levi raised an eyebrow. His eyes had nothing but focus, with each punch he let out an animalistic grunt.

“He’s messy.” 

“If this kid gets a better coach he could be reaching you in no time.” 

Levi rolled his eyes, “I don’t think we’re going to have to be worrying about some 20 year old just yet, Kenny. I’m still the best at my game.” 

The video transitioned to after the workout, the reporter spoke in German and the subtitles appeared at the bottom of the screen, “Eren what’s your goals this year?”

“I want to become the best that I can be at this sport.” 

“You’re burning through the ranks in the Featherweight class, but Levi Ackerman stands in your way from that goal. Do you think you can take him on in the next year?” 

Jaeger gave a cocky smirk looking into the camera, “Ackerman, I can beat your small ass easy.” 

Levi crossed his arms rolling his eyes, “Try me, kid.” 

* * *

Hange was carefully removing the stitches above his eye on the couch, his head between their thighs, his body was tired from the workout he was doing and he felt himself nodding off as Hange started cleaning up. 

“That tired huh?” 

He startled awake, rubbing his eyes sitting up off the couch. Hange giggled lightly, wrapping up their supplies and putting them away. Erwin was stretched out on the loveseat of the couch with a book in hand, one hand behind his head and headphones in his ears. Levi stretched out his back, already growing sore from the days’ work. 

“I’m gonna take a bath. Find a movie to watch.” 

“Aye aye, Captain!” Hange put their bag away and took their place on the couch with their favorite throw blanket. 

Levi walked over to the bathroom, shutting the door and running the bathtub to the hottest water he could take in hopes to ease his sore back and knee. He noticed his knee was acting up again since his training with the punching bag when he was walking to grab food for the three of them. Stripping down he eased himself down into the hot water sighing with relief. 

Levi had disappeared for a good 20 minutes by now, Hange already picked out the movie and now was scrolling on their phone. Erwin shut his book, putting it on the coffee table and removing his glasses, “Hange...I have a question and I need your opinion, you can’t tell Levi I’m asking you though.” 

Hange perked up, looking at Erwin smiling, “Go for it.” 

“I think I have to tell Le-” 

There was a loud crash of products falling down from the bathroom and Erwin and Hange immediately stood up, “You alright?” Hange asked. 

“I’m...fine.” His voice was pained and Hange immediately walked to the door trying to open it. 

“No, you’re not what happened?” 

“I’m fine…” He breathed holding onto the side of the sink pushing himself back up trying to not put pressure on his knee. When he was getting out of the tub, someone had moved the bathmat and the water made him slip and his bad knee went straight into the ground along with the products on the side of the tub. 

“Where the fuck did the bathmats go?” Levi cursed, wrapping the towel around his waist, attempting to dry off with one leg. 

“I-I put them in the wash… I’m sorry.” Erwin apologizing, Levi threw the door open glaring, as soon as he saw Erwin’s worried face, he softened his expression. He was going to snap, but Erwin looked like a sad puppy that was about to get kicked. 

“It’s my fault, I should have been watching more carefully,” Levi admitted, trying to make Erwin feel better, he tried to step forward and hissed in pain, Hange's arm coming up underneath him taking most of his weight as he limped out of the bathroom. 

Erwin felt his heartache at the pain he caused Levi, he was only trying to do something he knew the other would appreciate and now he just fucked it all up. He watched as Levi leaned on Hange as he hobbled up the stairs holding onto his towel as they closed the door behind them. 

“Fuck…” Erwin cursed, pushing his hair back off his face and adjusting his glasses, frustrated he walked into the bathroom to pick up the fallen products, he heard in the distance the buzz of the dryer finishing and Hange and Levi speaking quietly above. 

Hange was the first down, letting Levi get dressed after making sure there was no damage to his knee, just bruised and aggravating his old injury, they reassured Erwin who still had the same kicked puppy expression upon his face. Levi slowly made his way down the stairs one by one, his metal brace above his black sweatpants. Erwin watched as he walked, still with a limp to his spot on the couch.

“Stop looking at me like that. I’m fine Erwin, it’s not your fault. I’ll be perfect by tomorrow.” Levi adjusted the pillows, laying down, his left leg going up on the top of the couch to elevate it, head facing towards Erwin. 

“I know, I just don’t like seeing you hurt, I’m sorry again.” 

“Hange, start the movie.” 

Hange obliged, pressing play. Levi barely lasted the first ten minutes before his arms were crossed on his chest, hands tucked under his arms for warmth and head turned away from the TV sleeping soundly. Erwin’s eyes flickered from the TV to Hange who was hyper-focused on the sci-fi movie they picked, to Levi’s head facing him. He pushed the hairs that had fallen down onto his cheeks back behind his ear. 

_Why do I feel this way about you...and why don’t you show it when you’re sober that you feel the same..._

The movie had long ended, Hange had gone home, having an early day at the hospital tomorrow. Erwin sat with his book with Levi’s quiet breaths as his background noise. Levi started to stir in his sleep, face twisting like he was about to cry. His face turned into the couch pillows mumbling something in his sleep. Erwin slowly put his book down on his chest watching him dream. 

“Isabel...stop it...he…stop crying...” 

Erwin closed his book at the sound of her name, a hand reached over to touch Levi’s shoulder and shook him lightly to prevent a nightmare that's been plaguing Levi for years. His eyes shot open at the touch and he sat up quickly looking around at his surroundings.

“Easy there,” Erwin warned and Levi turned around looking at him. 

“I fell asleep on the couch? What time is it?” Levi asked, slouching his shoulders rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

“It’s almost 3.”

“Oh…I’m gonna head to bed, I have the flight tomorrow to California…” Levi pushed himself off the couch, hobbling over to the stairs. Erwin stood and was shutting all the lights down for the night, as he passed Levi who was staring blankly at the stairs, Levi grabbed the sleeve of Erwin’s sweater stopping him in his tracks.

“Can you help me up the stairs?”

Erwin smiled lightly and nodded, Levi wrapped his arm around Erwin’s waist and they slowly moved up the stairs together. Levi didn’t actually need his help, it was the least Erwin could do. 

* * *

“Put your hands up!” Farlan shouted for the tenth time at Levi as he sparred with his best friend. 

“Come on Levi! Show him who’s boss!” Isabel yelled from the side as she watched her two best friends screw around in the lawn fighting each other. 

“Didn’t sensei teach you anything?” Farlan grinned, spinning Levi around and quickly pinned him to the ground. Levi groaned as the air rushed out his lungs and Farlan’s knee was against the small of his back. These grass stains weren’t going to come out and Farlan’s mom was going to kill them. 

“Hey! I swear if you two get those things dirty again with grass stains I’m not buying new ones again!” Farlan’s mom yelled at the two boys from the patio. 

Levi and Farlan quickly got up, green grass stains on their knees and elbows, they both looked down ashamed. Isabel giggled lightly, knowing how much trouble the two were in looking up Farlan’s mom who just shook her head, smiling at her two boys.

“Come on, dinner’s done. Isabel, are you staying again?”

“Yes, please!” Isabel stood up running up to the patio deck, “Can I help with anything Mrs. Church?” she asked as they walked back into the house.

“Not bad, brother.” Farlan smiled as they walked into the home. Levi stared blankly at his computer screen in front of him, the memory of the last time Farlan and him sparing with each other making him feel a dark cloud come over him. 

“Sir…” 

“Sir?” 

Levi turned to look at the flight attendant taking out his headphones, “I’m sorry?” 

“Could you please shut down your computer? We’ll be landing soon.” 

“Oh yeah, sorry.” Levi shut his laptop, putting it into his backpack, sighing. Usually, he would be able to catch up on emails while on flights. The entire five hours he was in the air his head kept creeping back to his past to his last days with Farlan and Isabel. Even after ten years since losing his best friends in that fatal accident, his head would torture him even now and again. Always wondering, why him? 

After they landed and Levi turned back on his phone, Mike was already starting to call him, he waited until he was out of the airplane to answer. 

He put his phone up to his ear, “Hello?”

“Hey hey hey! You landed?” 

“I answered the phone didn’t I?” Levi snarked back, smiling lightly. 

“Listen man, I don’t know, last time I was on a flight I was still able to text my wife, turns out I can’t escape her even in the air.” 

“I don’t think Natalie would appreciate the way you’re speaking about her,” Levi laughed, hearing the kids giggle in the background and the noise of the freeway, “Are you in the car?” he asked. 

“Yep! I’m coming to pick you up!” Levi could hear the grin on Mike’s face.

“Oh Mike, I was just going to get an Uber.” 

“Listen you,” Mike warned, “I didn’t throw two toddlers in their car seats, pack snacks for these goblins, and listen to these brats on how excited they are to see Uncle Levi for an hour for you to tell me you don’t need me to pick you up. Besides, Nat needed a break from these guys and figured the timing was perfect.” 

Levi laughed, rolling his eyes. Mike was always like this, constantly going the extra mile whenever he was visiting back in California. Even though they were not blood-related, Mike always treated Levi like family, and when Mike’s children were born, he asked Levi to be their godfather. Levi was ecstatic at the idea, even though he never wanted kids of his own, he spoiled the crap out of Mike’s. 

“We’ll meet you in baggage claim, I just found a spot to park.” 

“Okay, see you soon.” Levi hung up the call, following the signs to baggage claim to pick up his luggage. As he walked down to baggage arrivals from JFK he heard toddler screams and looked over, seeing his two nephews running as fast as they could towards him. 

“UNCLE LEVI!” They screamed and Levi smiled crouching down as best as he could with his knee still in the brace opening up his arms. They bounced into his arms hugging him as tight as a toddler could.

Levi talked to his nephews, complimenting on the new haircuts that they got. Mike went to grab his luggage for him as Levi lifted up the younger of the two putting him onto his hip, holding the hand of the five-year-old.  
  


“An-and you can come into the pool with us! And dad said we take the dog on a hike with you.” Levi smiled at his nephew's excitement. 

“If he can even do a hike, what the hell did you do to your knee?” He looked up at Mike and shook his head, tired of having to explain himself. 

“Ohhhhh Daddy said a bad word!” His son called him out and Mike just rolled his eyes. 

“Explain, now.”

“I slipped hard yesterday and bruised it pretty good, just superficial. Hange wants me in the brace for one more day. I’m fine I swear.” 

“You slipped? On...water?” Mike had to cover his mouth from almost laughing. 

“Erwin moved the bathmat and I slipped while getting out, the poor guy was just trying to do something nice by washing it. He looked like I ripped out his heart.” They walked out of the terminal, Levi held onto the five-year-olds hand tighter as they crossed the busy LAX terminal road while Mike carried his bag on his back. The three-year-old on his hip dragged his toy car up and down his shoulders and across his head messing up his hair, but Levi didn’t mind, he doesn’t get much time with them as he would want and these little moments he loves. 

“How’s that whole situation going?” Mike asked.

Levi let go of his nephew's hand to reach into his jacket, to grab his sunglasses, his nephew attaching himself to his leg, “What situation?” 

“You know what I’m talking about.” 

“Nothing, that’s what, besides I need to keep focus. I’ve made it too far to get distracted by a relationship.” 

“As long as I’ve known you, you haven’t been in a serious relationship, I don’t think you need to put your success on the fact that I know you’re lonely.” Mike mocked, as they reached the car, he put Levi’s bag into the trunk and he took the three-year-old from Levi’s arms and put the boys in their car seats.

“But that’s exactly what I’m saying, no relationship, undefeated. Besides, he probably wants someone that can sleep with him every night and I’m stuck traveling around. I was properly home for barely a week and now I’m here.” He jumped up into the passenger seat, closing the door, Mike joining him in the driver's seat.

“I honestly see you more than I do him some months, he’d hate it.” Levi dropped down the visor to fix his hair that his nephew messed up in the mirror. 

“Well,” Mike pulled them out of the parking garage and onto the freeway, “We do work in the same industry. Erwin reads books all the time and studies dead people.” 

Levi laughed lightly, the image of Erwin with his glasses perched on his nose and a book in his hand with the afternoon sun coming into the apartment as he lay out on the couch came to his mind. He gave out a small sigh and flipped the visor upwards. 

“Anyways, Nat wants to go to dinner tonight, she said fancy and we got a sitter, you down?” 

“Um, duh.” 

* * *

Erwin laying down in bed, scrolling aimlessly on his phone, he had finished grading all of his class papers and released them back to his class and his evening was free. He grabbed take out on the way home, almost buying a second meal before remembering Levi had left that morning for California. He opened up his social media, seeing Levi had posted onto his story. He was in a dark grey suit, standing next to Mike who was equally as well dressed in front of the restaurant they had gone to that was tagged at the bottom. The next looked to have been taken by Mike’s wife from the back seat. Levi and Mike were singing, horribly he might add to some pop song on the radio he didn’t recognize. He felt the smile grow on his face, watching the man he knew he had been slowly falling for dance his cares away. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I wanted to clarify ages for my benefit and also everyone else's.  
> Levi: 28  
> Erwin: 31  
> Hange: 29  
> Mike: 38  
> Kenny: Ancient. Lol no, like prob 50s
> 
> But like, Levi as an Uncle is cute and my heart hurts.
> 
> Also if you wanna talk, Twitter is @thelightreader


	4. chapter four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Add a little bit of *trauma* also weight cutting is basically starving yourself and sweating excessively to lose weight quickly. If you’re not into it I’ve given you the warning.

It was pouring down rain, Isabel had begged them for ice cream that night. Against his wishes he got into the car with Farlan driving, just having gotten his driver's license six months ago. Farlan’s parents were out of town for the weekend and the three had the house to themselves. 

“Come on Levi! It's a ten-minute drive!” Farlan pushed his head into the back seat of the car, the hard rain hitting against the roof. To this day he still can’t stand the rain. 

“It’s pouring Farlan, I don’t think this is a good idea.” Levi protested, he should have refused to go at all, made them eat something at home, make cookies, or something to satisfy Isabel’s sweet tooth. 

“Oh come on grumpy gills, cheer up, I’ll buy you the ice cream!” Isabel slammed the door shut shaking her hair free from the rain.

Ten years, ten long years later, he still felt sick to his stomach when someone offered him ice cream, the face of dark red hair staring at him stained with blood, gasping in his arms forever tainting his taste for sweets. 

Levi didn’t feel the tears falling down his cheeks onto the sand underneath him, a cigarette was long-forgotten ashed out into the sand next to him with the several other dead ones laying next to it. He stared at the vast Pacific Ocean, the moon above shining just above the horizon. His phone was off, having told Mike that he was going to be gone for a few hours. Mike understood, he understood this day and the significance it holds with Levi. A September day in Los Angeles, it was rare to rain when in New York it would be pouring. 

Ten years...had felt like they had gone by like nothing. Their memories were fading away as he got older without them. After his mother had died when he was seven years old, he was put into the foster system having no immediate family to take care of him. He landed in the hands of the Church family who welcomed him with nothing but love and devotion. Farlan’s father was a wealthy man and after his death, Levi was stunned to find out he was in the will. His entire college tuition had been paid in full before even attending. Shortly after Farlan had passed at the young age of 17, his adoptive mother had gotten cancer. Levi held her hand, being her only caretaker for the last six months of her life despite the leg injury he obtained from the accident. 

He had left for the university he and Farlan had been accepted to, days before the accident, left wondering why he had been left. Why had everything he had loved been ripped away from him? He had felt like ending it several times inside of that empty dorm room, filled with nothing but his memories and photos of his deceased trio. Until a bright-eyed, four-eyed, way too happy for their own good slid him a cup of coffee during a lecture. 

He picked up his pack of cigarettes only to realize he had gone through the last half he had as he sat in the sand feeling sorry for himself. He sighed, finally noticing the moisture on his cheeks, quickly wiping them away with the sleeve of his hoodie. He picked up the butts of the past cigarettes, putting them back into the carton to throw them away. He pulled out his phone from his pocket, turning it back on, watching the missed text messages come through from Hange and Erwin. 

_ Please call me.  _ Hange wrote.

_ I miss you.  _ Erwin. 

Levi bit at the inner part of his lower lip as he dialed Erwin’s phone number holding the phone up to his ear. 

  
“Hello?” His voice sounded sleepy. Levi panicked, looking at the time realizing it was 1 a.m. Erwin’s time. 

“Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t realize it was so late…” Levi’s voice was hoarse from lack of use from the day and the mucus from his tears built up. 

“No, no, you’re good, I passed out on the couch again.” Erwin reassured him, “Are you okay? We haven’t heard from you all day.” 

“I’m okay...it’s just a hard day…” Levi he wasn’t okay, he wanted to be home, but the sound of thunder rumbling through the phone made his stomach sick. 

“You don’t sound very okay, do you want to talk?” 

“What’s there to talk about? They’re all dead…” Levi stood up dusting the sand off his jeans, “End of story, I’m still depressed ten years later and can’t stand the rain.” 

“Happy memories, that’s how my dad kept me going after my mom died, he would tell me stories about her before I was even a thought process. About her in high school and them going to dances, first dates, meeting her parents. Habits that she and I share, like reading too many books and getting lost in fictional worlds.” 

Levi smiled lightly as Erwin’s chuckle came through the phone for the first time in the day, walking to a trash can throwing the used pack of cigarettes away. 

“Tell me something about Isabel...something happy, not something that annoyed you, but something you loved about her.”

Levi stopped, sighing lightly staring back at the ocean, “She...she loved painting...anything with art she was obsessed with. She even got into an art school somewhere near here actually. I think I still have some of her paintings in storage… I just haven’t wanted to look at them. It hurts too much.” The last sentence made his voice crack. 

“Shhh.” Erwin attempted to soothe as much as he could, being 2800 miles apart from him, “When you get back, we should open them up and hang them up. I know it hurts, but I think she would be so proud to have her artwork hanging up in your home. 

Levi breathed in, calming himself down, nodding, “Okay...that actually sounds nice. It’s your home too Erwin.” 

“Well, then are you ready to come back to our home? You’ve been over there for almost three weeks now.” 

“I am… Mike and I are just getting ready for the next fight next month. He’s making me do way too much cardio and I feel like I’m gonna die, the only perk of California is the hills.” 

“Next fight is in Dubai yeah?” Erwin asked.

Levi kept walking down the beach, making his way back towards the pier he parked his car at, “Actually no, they moved it to New York. So I’ll be there for your birthday, it’s actually on your birthday, not the most ideal, but-” 

“Can I come?” Erwin sounded like an excited toddler and Levi laughed lightly, “That can be my birthday gift. I love coming to the fights.” 

“Sure,” an idea struck him as he neared the pier, “Why don’t you get a list of people you want to come and we can make it a whole thing.”

“I’d really love that Levi…” 

“I’m happy, I’m almost at the car, I’ll call you tomorrow okay?” 

“Promise?” 

Levi felt the heat creep upon his cheeks, “I promise.” 

* * *

Levi was sitting in the press conference room that the organization had set up for the end of the year fights. He was in a light blue dress shirt with grey slacks, sitting down towards the back at his table with his name on the card in front of him. 

“Ackerman, you’ve remained undefeated for the entire year yet again winning your last sixteen fights in a row. Seems like you have some competition though brewing in Germany with Eren Jaeger. Are you worried at all?” 

Levi scoffed, picking up the microphone, “I don’t think a 21-year-old has a chance against me. He’s cocky, rude, and inexperienced. I’d love to fight him just to prove him a lesson that he shouldn’t talk before he proves himself.” 

The other fighters laughed, “Always with the confidence, Ackerman.” 

“I can make it happen,” Pyxis, the president of the UFC spoke with a smirk. 

There were a bunch of oohs coming from the press and the rest of the fighters, Levi lifted back up his microphone, “Deal Pyxis, make it happen. You better pay me well though, I don’t wanna waste my time making a kid cry.”

Levi leaned back in his chair crossing his arms with a cocky grin on his lips. The press conference ended and Levi made his way through the crowd trying to find Mike when his shoulder got grabbed, he quickly turned, looking up to see Pyxis with that same slick smirk under his mustache. 

“Levi, how about the fight after this next one. I don’t think you have any issues keeping your title with this next one, but let’s try to really hype the one with Jaeger up. I’ll be in contact with your trainers and management about when and where.” 

Levi nodded in agreement, “Yes sir, I look forward to it.” 

“There you are!” Mike exclaimed as the crowd started to thin.

“Excuse me.” He shook hands with Pyxis before walking up to Mike as they left the hotel conference room, cameras were flashing around him as they got into the black SUV waiting for them to take Levi to the airport. 

“That’ll be trending on Twitter in a few minutes.” Mike closed the door, the noise of reporters and cameras clicking fading away as they drove out of the hotel. 

“So what, I can beat the kid to where he’ll be too scared to pick up a pair of gloves again.” 

Mike shrugged, “I don’t know man, I was researching him the other day and out of his 20 kickboxing matches, he only lost 5, and that was at the beginning of his career. “I already emailed Kenny on what to work on and Hange on recovery for after weight in. Please be careful and take this weight cutting slow.” 

Levi almost forgot, as soon as he landed in New York he was going to start his grueling weight-cutting routine. No food, excessive sweating, complete dehydration. Almost 17 pounds lost in a matter of two days. As he was getting older and building more muscle, cutting down to 135 from almost 155 was getting harder and harder. At least he could do this in the comfort of his own home and not some hotel, but he knew Erwin would be all over him trying to coddle him in worry. He made a mental note to tell Hange to keep him as far away from him for the next two days. 

“I’ll be fine.” He took out his phone, reading the excessive messaged Hange had sent him within the last hour during the press conference. Last week they had been planning a surprise party for Erwin since this was the first time in three years all three of them were able to celebrate the elders’ birthday together. Everyone that Erwin was inviting to the fight was in on the surprise and chipping in to make it a special day. They had rented out a rooftop restaurant in the Flatiron district that had a wonderful view of the Empire State Building for the thirty of their friends, well Hange and Erwin’s friends. Hange was sending him photos of the restaurant and where and how things would be set up. They had entrusted Moblit to setting it up the day of the fight, being that Hange would be busy with Levi the few days prior. 

When they arrived at the airport, Levi and Mike gave their goodbyes to each other hugging tightly. 

“Be careful, eyes up.” 

Levi smiled and slung his bag over his shoulder, “Will do, big nose.” 

* * *

Erwin watched with worried eyes as Hange was on the phone with Kenny, patting Levi’s forehead with a cold towel as he laid down on the cold tile trying to cool off from the sauna he was in for an hour, he had less than a pound left to make weight. The last four hours were hell for Erwin to watch as Levi would step on the scale obsessively, cursing at the progress he wasn’t making. His usually full cheeks sunken in, his body visibly screaming for water. 

“He’s doing fine actually, a lot better than last time,” Hange spoke into the phone. 

Erwin wondered how last time looked because Levi looked like hell to him, “He wants to talk to you.” Hange looked down at Levi who shook his head, rolling onto his stomach grabbing the cold towel from them, and putting it on his lower back. 

Hange put the phone back to her ear, nodding and agreeing with whatever Kenny was telling them. She motioned over to Erwin to come over and handed him the towel telling him to get the other one from the freezer. 

“Hange, out if you’re gonna keep talking!” Levi snapped, sitting up, his head immediately spinning around him. Hange got up and went into the other room to get out of Levi’s way. Erwin watched as Levi’s eyes unfocused and his body slumping forward. Erwin quickly moved over onto the floor with a cold towel in hand, pulling Levi back to lay down on his back on the towel.

“Easy there…” Erwin whispered, Levi looked up at him with spaced out eyes. 

“I’m okay…” Levi lied, he was beyond exhausted. Jet lag usually did not affect him, but going from a three-hour difference straight into weight cutting was making his body exhausted. He closed his eyes as Erwin put the cold towel on his forehead, his hand lingering on his cheek. If his body wasn’t already burning from the sauna, the blush on his chest would have been visible. 

“I can’t believe you put yourself through this for every fight.” Erwin moved his hand down onto Levi’s shoulders rubbing small circles into his arms. Levi sighed into the touch, visibly relaxing into it. 

“Ugh don’t stop, that feels so good.” Erwin smiled. 

“I won’t unless you tell me to.” 

Hange emerged from the other room pocketing their phone, “Up, one hot shower and you’ll be there.” 

Levi groaned, pulling the cold towel growing warm off his face, sitting back up slowly, Erwin’s hand resting on the small of his back with cautious eyes roaming over his body in case he felt dizzy again. 

“I don’t know if I trust my legs…” Levi admitted, he pushed himself onto his knee, grabbing onto the nearest thing which happened to be Erwin’s arm to hoist himself up to his feet. He rocked back falling against Erwin’s chest and arms came around his shoulders to hold him steady. 

  
Hange stepped forward studying his face, his eyes closed breathing in the scent of Erwin he had missed so much the last month. 

“Levi…” Hange snapped their fingers in front of his face, “Levi.” They snapped again and Levi’s eyes shot open. 

“I’m good...I’m good.” He moved Erwin’s arms away from him, following Hange into the bathroom and they started the shower.    
  
“Out,” Levi mumbled.

“If I leave you, you’ll pass out. Besides, not like I haven’t seen your dick before.” Hange chuckled. 

“You’re not the person I want to see my dick okay?” He mumbled, starting the shower and stripping down from his swimming trunks.

“Annnnd the delirium has set in… Erwin!” Hange called out, and Erwin peeked his head inside the bathroom as Levi was already stripped and leaning his head against the tiled showered wall facing away.

“Can you get the bottles from the fridge and put them in my duffle bag? Straight after this, we’re heading to the weigh-in, all of those are to get his body back to normal. Erwin...Erwin! Oh my god stop staring!” Hange rolled her eyes when she turned to see Erwin just staring at Levi as he tried to shower away all the built-up sweat from the last 24 hours. 

“You can stare all you want birthday boy!” Erwin blushed, immediately leaving to do what Hange told him to do.

“Levi! Knock it off!” 

Levi chuckled lightly rinsing the soap out of his hair, letting his mouth fill up with water before spitting it down the drain. 

He shut off the water, Hange handed him the towel, he thanked them, drying himself off. They handed him a black t-shirt and the UFC shorts he would be fighting in tomorrow. He slowly pulled both of them on, his eyes barely focusing on the task he was finding so difficult. He stood on the scale for the final time until the weigh-in, 134, he made it, finally. Hange had to help him pull the back of his trainers on as he stood up from the tub on shaky legs.

“The car is waiting downstairs,” Hange said, he nodded shuffling out of the bathroom. Erwin was waiting by the door for the two of them. Hange was fussing with his hair, trying to lay it right for him knowing he didn’t have the energy to bother with it as they walked out of the apartment and into the elevator. Levi leaned against the railing of the elevator, his back against the mirror staring up at the ceiling, Erwin placed himself next to him and Levi immediately took to his shoulder to take some of his weight off his jelly legs. 

“Hange... I need water.” Hange started to dig around in the duffle bag pulling out the large water bottle, holding Levi’s chin he opened up his mouth and they poured a small amount of water into his mouth. He almost whimpered when they took it away. The elevator stopped and they walked out, Levi moved from Erwin’s arm to Hange’s leaning heavily. 

The black SUV with white UFC labeled on the side door opened for them as they exited the building. Levi was the first to crawl into the back, his head leaning back against the window and they were on their way to the weigh-in. They arrived at Madison Square Gardens the whole area was lit up with his face on billboards and posters against his opponent for tomorrow night. The car rolled to a stop and the other two slid off out of the car with ease, Levi took in a deep breath, trying to sike himself up to make the walk into the building. He found his second wind and slid out of the car, Erwin offered his hand and Levi shook his head. The UFC photographers were already directly in his face as they walked into the building. He looked up seeing Kenny smiling at the door waiting for them.    
  
“You’re walking pretty good kid, sorry I couldn’t help out this time, although Hange said you did better without me.” Kenny patted his back as they walked down into the staging area for the fighters of the card tomorrow night. 

“Let’s just get this over with, I feel like I’m gonna pass out any minute...”

The announcer was weighing his opponent for tomorrow night, Levi barely acknowledged that he made weight too as he stripped off his shirt and his trainers. 

“Ackerman, next.” 

He stepped up, his entire energy level shifting as he smiled for the cameras and stepped on to the scale, “135.5. Cleared!” 

He smiled and thanked the announcer and shook his hand, as he walked off the stage he grabbed the bottle from Hange and sat down trying to take slow sips, forcing himself not to chug down the whole thing. Hange was focused on making sure Levi wasn’t going to go into shock from the sudden rush of water into his system. Erwin looked with worried eyes as Levi’s head dropped onto his knees and hiccups escaped from his small frame. 

“It never gets easier for him,” Kenny spoke behind Erwin, he turned his head to the other man, “I’m more than positive we’ve met before, but I can’t seem to remember your name son.” 

“We have, it’s Erwin. I’m Levi’s roommate.” 

Kenny raised an eyebrow, “You’re the roommate huh?” 

“Yes sir.” 

“Well, Levi tells me a lot about a roommate, but I didn’t think he was talking about a man the way he talks about the roommate.” 

Erwin furrowed his eyebrows, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Kenny gave him a glare, “What I mean is, this is his life and he doesn’t need it ruined.” 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again I love comments! They’re my favorite. My Twitter is @thelightreader


	5. chapter five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> happy birthday erwin

“Ready?” 

Hange nodded and they counted together, “One...two...three!”

They flung Erwin’s bedroom door open, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!”

Erwin bolted up from his dead sleep, seeing his friends run at the bed jumping on him. Levi tackled into him first making him fall back into the bed, Hange jumping right on top of them both in a fit of giggles. 

“Oh my god guys, talk about an entrance.” Erwin huffed trying to scoot out from underneath the two of them. 

“It’s the first time all three of us have been together on your birthday since college! Of course, we’re excited!” said Hange, rolling over to the end of the bed, propping their head underneath their arm. 

Levi rolled off the bed, “Hang on, I got you something.” he quickly padded out of the room, his body almost one hundred percent back to normal and hydrated, his cheeks had filled back in with color and his eyes had the lightness back. 

Levi walked back in with a small pink box and sat on his leg on the side of the bed, “I went to your favorite little macaron place in near central park this morning. This isn’t your only gift, but happy birthday.” Levi gave a small smile and Erwin took the box grinning ear to ear. 

“I’ve been craving these so bad. Thank you, Levi!”

Hange laid on their back yawning loudly, “Levi when do we have to leave for the arena?” 

“I need to be there by noon for the press, but you don’t have to come until 5, the fight starts at around 7 for me. Oh, Erwin, I got you a press pass so you can come into the back with us if you want. It’s on the counter.” 

Erwin had only been to a few of Levi’s UFC matches and he couldn’t even begin to tell him how excited he was, he thanked Levi again. 

Levi looked at his watch, “I gotta go, I’ll see you two later.” Levi smiled and walked out of Erwin’s bedroom gathering his duffle bags for the day with his clothes for the party Erwin still had no idea about. Hange and Erwin looked at each other in silence as the front door closed and the lock slid into place. 

“So…” Hange started

“So…?” 

“You gonna tell him or what!” 

“Hange, we talked about this, we both know he doesn’t want a relationship right now, besides Kenny told me something yesterday that isn’t sitting right with me.” Erwin placed the macarons on the nightstand and got out of the bed, grabbing his t-shirt he threw to the ground last night and pulling it on.

Hange’s eyebrows were furrowed in confusion, “I hope you know Kenny is a prick most of the time. He likes to think he’s Levi’s father half of the time when he’s not. What did he tell you?” 

“He told me, ‘He doesn’t need his life ruined.’” 

Hange scoffed and rolled her eyes, “I swear that man never wants Levi happy, he uses his trauma as a trigger when training.” 

“He what…?” Erwin looked at Hange aghast. 

Hange nodded and sat up crossing their legs leaning back on their hands watching as Erwin shook his head trying to get ready for the day. 

“I’m not shocked actually.” 

“I think you should tell him tonight after the match, we’ll get something to eat, get a few drinks in both of you and he’ll jump on you.”

Erwin shrugged pulling out several options from his closet, “We’ll see Hange, can I get changed?”

* * *

Levi had sat through three interviews already and he was already tired of speaking to people, it was nearing five and people had been filling up the arena for the prelims. Hange had texted him that the both of them were on their way and most of the friends had already taken place in the seats he was able to score for them near the ring. Levi made a mental note to thank Pyxis later for being able to get all the tickets for free. 

  
  


Kenny put a hand on Levi’s shoulder, he turned to look up at him, “Yes?” He said with annoyance in his voice. 

“Ready for tonight?” 

“It’ll be an easy one, the guy hasn’t won a fight in the last four matches. Jackson has nothing on me. Easy paycheck.” Levi shrugged off Kenny’s hand from his shoulder. 

“Good to know your head hasn’t been clouded by someone.” 

Levi raised an eyebrow, slowly turning around to face his trainer, “Excuse me? What the hell do you mean by that.” 

“Maybe we should talk about this in private, Levi.” 

“Or maybe not at all, how about that.” Levi walked off, making his way through the labyrinth underneath the arena to the space they gave him as a dressing room. He could hear Kenny behind him trying to talk to him but Levi toned him out. As he turned the next corner he saw Hange and Erwin walking in the same direction. 

“There you guys are,” Levi yelled out and Erwin turned his head and smiled brightly. 

“It’s so weird seeing your face plastered everywhere.” Erwin stated, “I took photos next to a few of them and posted them on Instagram. Some of my students are incredibly jealous.”

Levi smirked, shrugging slightly, “I’m the main event if they came to see Jackson they’re delusional.” 

Hange picked up his hand, noticing the picked skin around his thumbs and they shook their head, “You’re acting all cocky, yet your anxiety is showing.” 

“Stop, I'm fine.” Levi huffed as they walked into the dressing room, Levi already had his items set up for his hand wrapping and laid out his items on the couch to change into. 

Kenny entered the room, raising an eyebrow at Erwin, ignoring the blonde, Levi started to unbutton the dress shirt he was wearing for the interviews. 

Erwin averted his eyes away from Kenny, his eyes trying to find anything in the room beside Levi stripping out of his shirt.    
  


“Hange,” Kenny spoke up, “Make him wear the athletic tape on his knee, he won’t listen to me tonight.” 

Levi rolled his eyes, “I told you already that my knee is fine, it’s been fine.” 

“That's not what Mike told me.” 

“I don’t care what Mike has or hasn’t told you. I’m telling you what my body feels like because I’m in it. Now out Kenny!” Levi pointed at the door, “I’ll meet you up there for warm-up, do not ruin this for me.” 

Kenny turned and silently made his way out the door, his heels of his boots clicking as he walked down the hallway. 

“What the hell was that about?” 

“We fought earlier, he’s worried about my knee, not a big deal.” Levi stepped behind the curtain to change into his shorts and insert in his cup to them. Hange looked at Erwin and mouthed ‘told you’ to him as they gathered up the wraps.

Levi walked out shirtless and in the tight shorts his bulge prominent from the cup, Erwin had to bite the inside of his lip as he grabbed the chair and sat down on his with his legs backward, Hange taking his hands and beginning to wrap them. His leg already bouncing up and down as he stared at the ground. Levi had always carried himself with confidence when around the people in his industry, but behind closed doors, even though he was undefeated, there was always a what if that made his anxiety peak before a fight. What if his knee gave out? What if he doesn’t see the right hook? What if stupid thoughts distract him? 

It hasn’t happened, but Kenny was right, since his slip last month his knee has been bugging him on occasions inflaming his ten-year-old injury. As Hange finished his first hand and rolled his wrist back and forth to make sure it fits correctly. 

* * *

When Levi had to warm up, they split up and Erwin joined the rest of the group in their seats, greeted with a round of drinks to start the night. 

  
“How is he back there? Nervous?” Nanaba asked. 

Erwin shook his head, taking a spit of the drink, “Nope, same old Levi.” 

The crowd went wild as the fighter was able to knock out their opponent, blood splattering onto the canvas floor as the fight was called. Erwin grimaced at the sight as his friends whooped and hollered for the winner. The down fighter jumped up right away and was taking off the sight of the canvas immediately. Where they were sitting where the fighters entered in and out of the octagon, as the fighter passed they had an already soaked white towel turned red pressed onto his face, a cut just under his hairlines bleeding profusely. 

“Holy shit!” Moblit exclaimed, “I knew it was violent on TV, but this is nuts!” 

“No shit, you can hear the punches and the power behind everything.” Dieter replied, “This is fucking awesome! Erwin, please tell Levi thank you!” 

“You can tell him yourself when the fight is over, I’m sure he’d love to hear it.” 

The lights dimmed down as the announcer in a brightly colored tailored suit stood under the lights of the octagon.    
  
“Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to UFC 309, Jackson verses Ackerman!” The man exploded with energy as he spoke Levi’s name and the crowd went nuts. “Please welcome to the arena, Jackson!” 

Levi's opponent entered the arena, cameras following him in front, his face was stone cold but underneath that persona, Erwin could see worry. The announcer was listing off his stats, as the fighter walked into the arena, he was taller than Levi by almost five inches. Even though they weighted the same during weight in, Levi has far more compacted power than Jackson did. 

The arena went dark for the last time, a low hum buzzed within the crowd as the  [ guitar ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J2QdDbelmY&ab_channel=TheWhiteStripes) that everyone knew at this point started and the crowd started to sing along. Levi rolled his neck as Hange was rubbing his shoulders trying to get out whatever kinks were left. The cameras were trying to set up in front of him to follow him on the walkout. Right after the announcer said his last name the camera men counted down. 

“Three, two, one, Levi go.” 

The arena security set out in front of him, then the cameras, when Levi’s dark expression was on the large screen above the octagon, the crowd was deafening. Erwin stood up having the largest grin on his face as Levi passed them. Hange waved at all their friends, they tried to stop and say hello, but the security guards ushered them to the prep zone. Levi unzipped his hoodie and handed it to Kenny rolling his shoulders, standing in front of the referee. 

“Hands.” Levi flipped over his hands showing his gloves have not been tampered with. 

  
“Guard.” Levi opened his mouth to expose his mouth guard piece. 

“Cup?” Levi nodded and turned to get the grease applied to his face by Hange. Hange cupped his face with her hands and they both smiled before Levi turned and walked into the ring. Levi met with Jackson in the middle of the ring, the referee between the two of them holding the microphone. 

“Alright, listen to my instructions, protect yourself at all times, fight clean, touch gloves.” 

Levi lifted his hands for Jackson, but Jackson turned away back to his corner. His head tilted to the side raising his eyebrows at the show of disrespect. 

  
“Watch out, Jackson, you don’t wanna be cocky and then get your ass beat,” Levi yelled over as he walked back to his corner leaning on his hands against the cage. 

“Man he’s scary…” Moblit said. 

Erwin watched as Levi leaned over to stretch out his hips, staring at Jackson with a look of full intention to kill. As soon as the referee put his hand down Levi and Jackson were in the middle of the ring. Jackson threw the first punch that Levi was easily able to dip back and dodge, surprising Jackson as he came up with his right hand, nailing him straight into his ribs. Jackson backed off, but Levi came after him with a right knee straight to Jackson’s chest. They continued to jab at each other, feeling out the other fighter. 

A look in Jackson’s eyes changed as he charged towards Levi throwing his leg right into Levi’s ribs. Unfazed and completely zoned in, Levi kept his hands up studying his opponent’s fighting style while blocking his punches and landing a few of his own. They called ten seconds till the bell and Levi took the open opportunity he saw and nailed Jackson straight in the face with his elbow. Jackson wobbled backward obviously seeing stars, blood dripping out of his nose and the first round was over. Levi breathed heavily walking back to his corner, Hange and Kenny had already gotten in and had him sit down, Hange took out his mouthguard. He had control of the first round. 

“He’s gonna be too dazed to keep fighting standing, he’s gonna try to take you to the mat.” Kenny started as Hange poured water into his mouth and applied more grease to his face that he already sweated off. 

“He got my ribs.” Hange made him open his mouth to put back in his mouthguard. 

“Broken?” Hange asked their eyes peeking with worry, Levi shook his head and Hange pressed their hand on his side where the large red mark against his pale skin where Jackson’s shin made contact with his side. 

“He’s fine,” Kenny stated and the referee called for round two. Levi stood up, pushing his hair back and off his face as he stood to take Jackson on again. 

Nanaba looked up at Erwin who was watching intensely as the second round started. Levi's eyes were dark and Jackson just smiled as the blood still dripped from his nose making a motion for Jackson to come at him. Jackson went after his legs, Levi was able to keep himself up until his back hit the cage and he was dragged to the ground. Levi quickly moved behind Jackson to get the advantage. Grappling was not his strong point because of his size, if he would get pinned underneath his opponents had the advantage because of how small he was. Levi was quickly able to land an elbow onto the back of Jackson’s head and untangle himself from his limbs and stand back up. As Jackson pushed himself back up, Levi immediately pinned him into the corner, fists flying into his face, Jackson trying his best to block them as Jackson’s blood splattered onto Levi’s face with every punch. The crowd was going nuts waiting for the referee to call the fight as Levi obviously had control of the ring now. 

Jackson slid down the cage, pushing himself off the cage and rolling Levi back onto the ground. Levi seamlessly flipped the switch on Jackson, catching his head between his legs and putting Jackson’s neck into a body triangle, Levi was able to grab Jackson’s arm rendering any defense he had left useless, and lifted his hips off the mat.

“Tap out!” Levi yelled and he pulled Jackon’s arm further, Jackson struggled against him, his face flaring with pain. The referee was standing above them, watching to see if Jackson would tap or succumb to unconsciousness. Levi felt Jackson struggled to double tap on his leg and the referee immediately pulled Levi off of Jackson and the crowd exploded with screams. Levi stood up, lending a hand to Jackson to help him up. His opponent’s blood coated his thighs and his chest from the grappling session. Aside from the growing dark red mark on his side, Levi came out unscathed for once. 

Hange was the first to run into the ring smiling and grab Levi a towel to clean the blood off himself. Kenny grabbed his shoulders shaking him in excitement, “You fucking did it again, kid!” 

Levi was on cloud nine, his adrenaline still high in his blood as the announcer ushered him over grabbing his hand and raising it up. “Victory with submission is Levi Ackerman!” 

Erwin's smile never left his face as Levi lit up, Levi’s eyes were scanning the crowd, grey eyes meeting blue, Levi’s smirk grew into him poking his tongue out playfully. Pyxis wrapped his arm around Levi’s shoulder turning him back around to talk to the camera. 

“Levi, you have Eren Jaeger at the beginning of next year, both of you being undefeated so far in your UFC careers, any words for Jaeger watching?” Pyxis asked, Levi pulled the microphone over to him staring into the camera. 

“Watch yourself Jaeger, cockiness doesn’t prove yourself. Kids like you deserve pain as a discipline.” 

Levi was pulled out by Hange from under Pyxis’s arm and out of the octagon. Levi’s eyes frantically scanned the crowd for Erwin as people started to crowd around them and the security guards surrounded them to guide them out of the arena. Thanks to his height, Erwin was able to easily spot Levi as he was ushered to Levi as the crowd pushed forward trying to get closer to the victor. Nanaba touched his shoulder, “You’re coming with us big guy, now it’s time to celebrate your birthday properly.” 

“Huh?” Erwin furrowed his brows. 

“You’ll see him soon enough, but now it's time to follow us.” Moblit and Nanaba grabbed both his arms and started dragging him towards the exit. 

Levi was using the towel to wipe off the blood from Jackson, “Shower.” he mumbled as the guard guided him back to his dressing room. 

“I need a shower…” Levi’s adrenaline was running out and the fact that blood was on him was making him disgusted. 

“You shower, I’ll get your clothes ready. Nanaba and Moblit are taking Erwin on a detour so we have a chance to get there before him.” 

Levi nodded, entering into the dressing room and immediately going into the shower room. Hange worked efficiently taking Levi’s suit out of the bag and hanging it up on the door of the shower room door. Taking their black sequined cocktail dress out and started changing, taking their hair out of its ponytail. Levi scrubbed his body clean of all blood from Jackson’s broken nose, the stinging in his ribs started. He raised his arm up to examine the dark red mark on his side that was starting to form a bruise. He sighed, shutting off the water and quickly drying off, picking his suit off the door hook. 

When he opened the door still fixing the buttons on his wrist, Hange was in the mirror applying mascara, hair down and curled away from their face, black dress (with the tights underneath), and pumps.

“You look pretty. Looking nice for Moblit?” Levi joked and Hange rolled their eyes. 

“So what if I am, he just got into neurosurgery residency, I wanna bag a wealthy doctor if I wanna date in my field.” 

“Fair enough.” Levi struggled to get the last button on his right wrist, Hange came over and helped him finish his buttons. Levi thanked them and slid on his black suit jacket and sat down on the couch to put on his shoes. 

“Woah, hang on...do those have heels?” Hange picked up one of his shoes, looking at the red bottoms of his oxfords that definitely had a larger sole than common oxford shoes. 

“Watch it four-eyes.” He reached up snatching his shoe away from them. 

Hange laughed as they grabbed their coats, “Do those bring you to 5’5”?” 

Levi shook his head as he laced his shoes, “Yes they do if you must know.” 

There was a knock on the door and Kenny walked his way in, “Congrats kid, I handled all you after fight interviews. Told them you had plans after the fight, there’s a crowd growing towards the exit though. Security will walk you through it.” 

“Thanks, Kenny.” Levi stood up and Hange handed him his coat.

Kenny put his hand out and stopped Levi before he exited the door, “I wanna apologize for earlier.” 

Levi started up at him, Kenny was never the one to apologize after they would get into an altercation, “Thank you…” 

Kenny smiled at him and patted his shoulder, “Have fun tonight, you deserve it. Mike will send you more information about Jaeger before you leave next week so you can start training for that one.”

Levi hummed in agreement nodding and Hange took his hand as they exited the dressing room, security guards met them at the end of the hallway and surrounded them at all sides. Levi could hear the crowd before they even were near the doorway to get to the car. As they neared the exit he could see everyone with their phone cameras up trying to get a photo of him or with him. Security opened the doors flashing lights were blinding them as they pushed through the crowd of people that were yelling his name. Levi pulled Hange closer to him protectively, not letting their hand go as they made it to the car. He pulled Hange in front of him to let them get in first, as soon as he was in the door shut and the car pulled out, the crowd trying to follow but the police blocking them. 

“Jesus Christ…” Levi breathed out, unconsciously holding his ribs. Hange took notice of his action and moved his hand to press onto his ribs to see if they were broken. 

Levi hissed out retracting away, “What the fuck, Hange!” 

“I’m your doctor dammit, I can poke and prod you anytime I want. You’re not broken, just bruised, take it easy for the next week.” 

Levi rolled his eyes as Hange’s phone buzzed, a text message from Moblit saying everyone else had arrived and they were 15 minutes out. Levi asked the driver how far were they from the restaurant and the driver replied only ten minutes away.

“We’re barely gonna make it,” Levi muttered, crossing his legs and arms. 

“It’ll be fine, Levi.” 

As soon as the car stopped in front of the building of the restaurant, Levi and Hange rushed inside and into the elevator. Moblit’s recent text message said two minutes. When they rushed into the restaurant everyone stared expecting Erwin, about to yell surprise.

“They’re right behind us!” Hange rushed over to the group and grabbed one of the poppers from Tomas, a friend from Erwin’s history department at the university. Everyone grew quiet as the elevator started to climb up to the top floor. Levi migrated towards the back of the group of people, leaning against the bar, still visible from the elevator. When the elevator doors opened Erwin’s eyes went wide as everyone yelled “Surprise!” in unison. Levi smiled at Erwin’s reaction, completely taken aback. 

“Oh my god, guys...are you serious?” Erwin's eyes turned to complete adoration as he saw all his friends smiling back at him. 

After old friends greeted each other and they all sat down at the given tables, Hange took place in between Levi and Moblit. Erwin came behind Levi taking his empty glass of whiskey and replaced it with a full one. Levi looked up at him, cheeks already red from his first two drinks. Erwin smiled at him putting his hand on his shoulder as he sat down next to him. 

“Thank you, again. Definitely my best birthday ever.” Erwin’s hand found Levi’s knee under the table and gave a light squeeze. Levi turned his body towards Erwin, crossing his legs, trapping Erwin’s hand between them. He could feel Erwin’s thumb rub against the fabric of his slacks onto his thigh. 

“You’re welcome. Your actual birthday gift is at home though, this is just a placeholder.” Levi took a sip of his replenished drink and put it down on the table. 

Erwin shook his head, his eyes flowing down Levi’s body, “You’re too good to me, Levi.” 

“I like seeing you happy.” Levi admitted. 

“I’m more than happy.” Erwin removed his hand from Levi’s thigh as food was finally placed in front of them. Everyone ate happily, chatting about old times in college with laughter filling the room. 

“No no no!” Hange protested at a story, “That’s not how it went! Erwin was the one that literally dragged Levi out of the party because he decked someone so hard they went to the hospital.” 

“They deserved it,” Levi added. 

“It was over beer pong Levi!” Gunther yelled from across the table.

“I’m competitive!” Everyone chuckled and Levi took the last swig of his whiskey, putting it down on the table standing up. 

“Where are you going?” Erwin looked at him as Levi stood up, wobbling slightly. 

“Smoke.” Levi pushed his chair back and pulled his cigarettes out of his pocket, pulling one out with his lips. He walked out to the patio to an area where the guests couldn’t see him and leaned against the railing staring at the New York skyline, covering his lighter with his hand as he lit his cigarette. His head kept wandering to places though dinner, as Erwin kept drinking, his hands roamed more underneath the table. Squeezing Levi’s thigh to get his attention, thumb rubbing circles as a mindless act. He ignored them for the most part, but he kept spacing out to scenes of Erwin pinning him down on the bed, ropes pulling on his wrists, and the man panting hard above him. He shook away the thoughts taking a long drag of his cigarette. More laughter echoed from the restaurant, the sound growing louder as the door to the patio opened someone following him out.    
  


Hands came to the railing on either side of him and the familiar scent of leather and ember cologne wafting around him, “Can I have a drag?” 

Levi kept his eyes straight at the skyline, his body and chest felt hot as Erwin’s chest pressed against his back as he swiped the cigarette from his fingers taking a long drag. A hand went onto his hip, gripping lightly as smoke swirled around them, his suit jacket being moved. Erwin’s large hand resting right on his hip, his thumb pressing into his lower back. Levi could feel his heartbeat in his throat as he reached to take the cigarette back from him. Erwin raised his hand up, smirking as Levi scowled as he used his height as an advantage. 

“Give it back!” when Levi turned to try to get his cigarette back, Erwin’s whole arm encircled Levi’s small waist pressing them together. 

“E-Erwin, you’re drunk, what are you doing?” Levi panicked, his eyes looking back at the patio door making sure no one was coming out. 

“Sharing a cigarette.” Erwin smirked, taking another drag, and handed it back to Levi. Erwin placed his hands on either side of the railing, trapping Levi between him and the 20 floors below them, the cigarette dropping from Levi’s hand, his neck craning upwards to meet Erwin’s drunk gaze, sure that he has the same drunk look. 

“I need to tell you something, Levi…” 

Levi shook his head, his hands grabbing onto Erwin’s suit jacket, pressing into him to push him away, “No you don’t.” 

Erwin’s soft hands grabbed Levi’s callused ones, pulling him away from the railing, pinning him back against the building, completely away from prying eyes. Levi yelped as his back hit the building and a hand grabbed his face making him look up at Erwin’s blue eyes, burning within.    
  


“Levi, I know you feel the same way, stop fighting it…” Levi wanted to argue, his voice getting caught in his throat as his mouth was assaulted by Erwin’s tongue. The taste of distance whiskeys mixing made both of them feel more intoxicated. His body lit on fire, hands desperately grabbing onto Erwin’s jacket pulling him as close as possible. Erwin’s leg slid between Levi’s thighs and a moan left Levi’s throat as Erwin’s mouth found grazed on Levi’s neck, the smell of Levi’s cologne of vanilla undertones making the animal inside of him groan. Their movements were desperate as so much pent-up energy fed off each other. Hands roamed their bodies, gripping and grinding. The fire in Levi’s head wanting to rip off all of Erwin’s clothing right there. He heard the patio door open and he immediately pushed Erwin off of him panting and white-knuckled gripped onto the railing hanging his head down. Hange popped their head around the corner seeing Erwin adjusting himself and fixing his shirt back into his slacks. 

“Oh...oh my god.” Hange giggled covering their mouth. 

Levi was able to breathe a bit easier when he heard it was just Hange that walked out on them. 

“Hange shut up.” Levi glared at them, pushing himself off the railing and walking past them back into the party. 

Levi took his place back at the table, everyone in deep conversation with each other not even noticing his presence back at the table. He breathed out, running his hands through his hair, the alcohol having more of an effect on him than he realized. There was another full glass of whiskey sitting in front of him and he grabbed it taking a long sip from it. Erwin entered back in sitting next to him, leaning over to whisper in his ear. 

“How much longer do you want to stay?” 

Levi put down the glass and crossed his legs begging his erection to die down as Erwin’s hands grazed his thighs under the table. 

“Cake...after cake.” Levi’s eyes averted from Erwin as much as possible for the remainder of the night. Everyone sang happy birthday as the cake was brought out, Levi had taken a bite from Erwin’s after the taller man had begged him. Washing the sweet down with the sour whiskey straight afterward. Hange couldn’t help but wiggle their eyebrows every time Levi made eye contact with them. He rolled his eyes every time telling them to stop it. As soon as the first few guests departed the restaurant, everyone was happily drunk and gathering items to leave. Levi was left at the table, signing off the bill that was way too much money he could fathom, but that was sober him’s problem tomorrow. 

When he stood up and handed the bill back to the waiter he met with Erwin near the elevator who was saying goodbye to everyone with a happy grin on his face. 

Hange elbowed Levi’s side, “I won’t be coming over tomorrow, something tells me you’ll be busy.” 

“If you don’t bite your tongue right now, I’ll cut it out.” Levi threatened. 

“Ready?” Erwin smiled and put his hand on Levi’s lower back and guided him into the elevator.

“I’ll take the next one!” Hange smirked and waved as the doors closed.

It didn’t take long for Erwin to resume what they started earlier, pining Levi back against the mirrored elevator as they descended to the bottom floor. Levi’s hands gripped onto the back of Erwin’s head moaning into his mouth. 

“Fuck Levi...what the hell took you so long.” 

“I had to p-pay the bill.” He moaned as Erwin cupped him, rubbing his erection in his pants. 

“Not that you dork.” Erwin laughed, lightly biting on Levi’s ear. 

“J-just shut up and fuck me when we get home.” 

“Oh, I will.” 

As the elevator slowed he peeled off of Levi and they both adjusted their coats to cover their erections as they walked through the lobby of the building and rushed to get a cab on the side of the street. 

The poor taxi driver kept his eyes straight on the road in front of them as Erwin had his hands on Levi’s hips gripping onto them as desperate moans came from his lips as Erwin marked his neck. 

Erwin heard the amount of the taxi ride and quickly handed him the money, “Keep the change.” Levi was already out of the cab and making his way up the stairs of the building. Erwin caught up behind him, nodding at the doorman with a smile as they walked through. 

After more breathy moans in the elevator, Levi struggled with his keys to unlock the door to the apartment as Erwin kissed the side of his neck already taking off Levi’s jacket. The door flew open and Erwin kicked it closed with his foot, Levi barely had a chance to kick off his shoes when Erwin lifted him up and pinned him against the wall, his legs wrapping around Erwin’s waist. His hands pushed Erwin’s jacket off his shoulders falling into a pile on the floor. 

His hands shook trying to unbutton Erwin’s shirt, large hands grabbed them pinning them above Levi’s head and he let out a desperate moan. 

Erwin smiled at this reaction; “Oh you liked that...you’re submissive…” 

Levi nodded quickly, he was beyond submissive in the bedroom. He loved to be completely out of control of the situation he was put into sexually.

“Perfect,” Erwin growled and Levi’s arms wrapped around Erwin’s neck as they kissed deeply, tongues dancing together, teeth clicking together as desperation grew between them. Erwin had moved them towards the door to his bedroom, throwing Levi’s small frame onto the bed. 

“Take off your clothes,” Erwin demanded. 

Levi sat up quickly stripping off his shirt and unbuckling his pants pulling them off with his underwear. His cock throbbing against his stomach begging to be touched. The look that Erwin gave him made him feel like he was being hunted down like a prey animal. Erwin made quick work unbuttoning his shirt and his slacks, kicking off his shoes as he slid against Levi’s body, taking all of him in. 

“Fuck.” Levi moaned, feeling Erwin’s cock rub against his, the fire igniting inside of him once more as he buried his hands in Erwin’s hair kissing him hard. He couldn’t think straight, his entire being was on fire and desperate for more, whining as Erwin pulled away, leaning back on his haunches, grabbing Levi’s wrist, and pulling him up. 

“Suck.” 

Levi happily obliged, his hand wrapping around Erwin’s cock that was nearly the size of his entire face wrapping his lips around the head. Hearing Erwin moan for the first time made him leak onto the sheets underneath him as he ground into them, burying his head down onto Erwin’s cock. His hand gripped Levi’s hair, moaning as the smaller man sucked on his cock, his cheeks caving inwards and he slurped down. 

“Holy shit, Levi.” he hummed at the sound of his name coming from Erwin’s lips in ecstasy. Yes, this is what he wanted, this was everything that he wanted. 

Erwin’s hand cupped his cheek and lifted him off his cock, staring down at him, “Turn around.” 

Levi took a second too long to move and Erwin swiftly grabbed his hips and turned him around, pressing his face into the bed, his ass up in the air. Levi gripped onto the sheets, Erwin was silent behind him as he leaned over digging into his nightstand. 

“I’m clean, are you?” 

Levi nodded into the sheets, he heard the crack of a tube open up and cold fingers rub his entrance. He moaned softly, gripping the sheets as one of Erwin’s large fingers entered inside of him. 

“God, you’re tight.” Erwin gripped his hips hard, digging his thumbs into the soft cheek of Levi’s ass. 

“It’s..it’s been a while.” Levi chuckled, moaning as another finger entered inside of him, slowly stretching him out. Erwin slowly slid his fingers in and out of Levi, searching for his spot that will make his knees snake. Levi’s head snapped up and a strangled moan escaped his throat and Erwin smirked, pressing in his third finger. Levi was melting underneath him, Erwin’s hand pressed down onto his back making him arch his back further. 

“Go-God Erwin, just fuck me already!” Levi begged, his hands buried into Erwin’s sheets twisting into his hands. 

The pressure of Erwin’s cock pressing into him made him see stars, he breathed out trying to bypass the pain as Erwin buried himself into Levi. 

“Holy shit…” Erwin breathed, his hands gripping onto Levi’s hips holding him as still as possible. After the first thrust, he lost all control of himself, all the air rushed out of his lungs as Erwin thrust into him pushing him deeper into the bed. 

Levi cursed as Erwin’s thrust grew more erratic, losing control of his voice moaning with each thrust Erwin pushed into him. Erwin dragged his hand up Levi’s back and through his undercut, grabbing a fist full of his hair pulling his head back. Levi let his body get pulled back onto Erwin’s chest, his hands gripping onto Erwin’s thighs as he rode the waves of pleasure. Erwin wrapped his arm around Levi to keep him from falling forward, wrapping his hand around his cock matching his strokes with each thrust. 

Levi was starting to see white as Erwin wrapped his hand around his throat, his head falling back onto Erwin’s shoulder letting out lewd strangled moans. 

“Fuck Levi...do you wanna cum?” Erwin groaned in his ear, making his dick leak even more. 

Levi nodded as best as he could with his throat being compressed. Erwin pressed his body back down into the mattress, his head resting between Erwin’s arms as he slammed into him. His whole body was crying out for release as each thrust rubbed against the sheets. 

“Come on Levi...cum for me...don’t hold back.”

Levi cried out, his whole body succumbed to the flames that were eating at his core as he made a mess of the sheets. Hands found Erwin’s arms as he gripped tightly listening to Erwin moan in his ear his vision kept going in and out. 

“Fuck.” Erwin cursed coming to his own release inside of his best friend. 

Both of them panted heavily, Erwin slowly pulled himself out of Levi who didn’t even move, just whined at the sudden emptiness. Erwin sat up, his eyes grazing over Levi’s tone back, his eyes floating down this tattoo to the mess he made below. 

“Towel..” Erwin muttered and stood up on shaky legs walking over to the corner of his room looking through the freshly washed towels still in the hamper. Levi rolled over, his stomach coated in his own cum, his arm folding over his eyes still catching his breath. Erwin sat on his knees on the bed, cleaning off Levi’s mess. Levi didn’t protest when Erwin moved his legs to clean him off, his body growing tired from the day. Erwin cleaned off his own mess, tossing the towel to the side, crawling his way back into the bed completely spent. 

Levi’s head was still swimming from the alcohol and the head rush, his eyes were closed as Erwin moved his body and a pillow came underneath his head and the blankets came over his shoulder. Sleep already overcame his eyes as a pair of protective arms wrapped around his small frame, stroking at his hair. 

Erwin watched Levi’s face carefully as the man took deep breaths, deeply asleep in his arms. Erwin was long sober, sober from the minute they left the party. His head wondered, hoping Levi was as sober as he was, but telling from how quick the man fell asleep his hopes fell short. This was everything he had wanted, his best friend who he had fallen in love with falling asleep in his arms, legs tangled, heartbeats matched. Erwin couldn’t help as the night went on his heartache more to what would happen in the morning. 

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love comments and feedback!


	6. chapter six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> erwin and levi work some things out. levi heads back to California for training.

Erwin rolled over, feeling for the warmth he fell asleep with only to feeling cold sheets between his fingers. Erwin’s eyes snapped open seeing the vacant space next to him, a red box wrapped up with white ribbon sitting in Levi’s place. He sat up, the blankets falling down onto his bare hips. His jacket from the night before was hanging up on the back of his door, his suit pants were folded on the foot of the bed. He heard the slider door to the patio next to his room open and shut. Erwin ran his hand through his hair, rubbing the back of his neck as he pulled the gift over, peeling back the paper. 

Levi sat down with a sigh on the balcony, putting down his cup of tea on the small table, covering his hand lighting up a cigarette. After he picked up the mess from the night before, he showered away the remnants from Erwin’s actions. Well, his actions too, he couldn’t deny that he enjoyed every minute of it, but the guilt was eating at him as soon as he opened his eyes this morning, engulfed in a tangle of sticky limps and Erwin’s peaceful face next to his. He took a long drag from his cigarette, setting it down in the ashtray, blowing the smoke out from his nose as he picked back up his cup. 

Erwin opened up the box, taking out a gift card to his favorite used book store in downtown. He smiled lightly, taking out the next gift which was rolled up. He carefully unrolled the small poster, in the straight black text read, “The first and final thing you have to do in this world is to last and not be smashed by it. -Ernest Hemingway.” One of his favorite writers, at the bottom of the red box, sat a handwritten note. In Levi’s sloppy cursive it read, “Something to hang in your office at the university. Happy Birthday, Erwin.” A soft smile spread on his lips, he placed all the items back carefully in the box, getting off of the bed, and searched for a pair of sweatpants.

Levi didn’t turn his head when he heard the slider open next to him. Erwin stood in the frame of the slider, his eyes growing sad as he watched Levi silently sip his tea. 

“Thank you...for the gift. It’s very thoughtful.” Erwin finally spoke, Levi looked up giving him a small nod. 

“You’re welcome. You should wash your sheets by the way.”

Erwin smirked, “I was planning on it. Um...do you want to talk about that?” 

Levi turned his head back to the skyline, picking back up his cigarette, “What is there to talk about exactly...what did you want from this?.” 

“I thought I made that pretty clear last night what I want.” Erwin closed the slider door behind him, leaning on the balcony railing with his arms crossed. 

“So you want to be friends with benefits?” Erwin scoffed, he scowled at the blonde, “I’m not a fucking mind-reader Erwin.”

“I mean...Levi...come on, don’t make me laugh with that friends with benefits shit, we both know that could have happened years ago.”

Levi rolled his eyes, “What...a relationship? Is that what you want? It’s out of the question, Erwin. We can’t.”

“Who says we can’t do this Levi?” Erwin argued back, Levi’s eyes locked with his as he tapped out his cigarette. 

“I’m saying we can’t. You don’t deserve someone who’s never home. Besides, I’m too busy for a relationship, I’m not having this conversation.” Levi stood up, taking his tea back into the apartment. Erwin scowled as Levi does what he always does, runs away from the situation as soon as the conversation gets serious. 

Levi put his hands down on the counter, hanging down his head hearing Erwin close and lock the slider door behind him. “I can’t have a distraction...not now, you’ve been my best friend for years, Erwin. This will ruin that…” 

A distraction? That hurt, the last thing Erwin ever wanted to be was a burden to anyone.

“Levi,” Erwin reached for his hand and Levi immediately moved his hand away, looking up at him, “Please just listen to me for a second.” Erwin tried to reach for his hand and Levi let his touch linger. 

“Erwin...I can’t be the person you want in a relationship. I’m halfway across the country for half of the year, most of the time I’m in a completely different country. Aside from that, I can’t...I can’t tell them I’m in a relationship...not with a man.” 

“I don’t care Levi…” Erwin moved closer, narrowing the gap that had gone so cold between them compared to the night before, “When will you realize that all I want it you, all I want is to hold you,” his arms circled around Levi’s small waist, “all I want is to touch and kiss you...I didn’t realize I felt this strongly about you until Hange pointed it out. I kept playing it off because you’re my best friend and best friends are supposed to have a love for each other, but dammit Levi this is different.” 

Levi shut his eyes, unable to look up at him, shaking his head, “You can’t look at me in the eye and tell me you don’t have feelings for me too, Levi.” Erwin held him closer, “I don’t care that you’re not out, we don’t have to cross that path until you’re ready. I just want you to come home to me…” 

Levi’s hands gripped onto the hem of Erwin’s t-shirt as he stared at the ground between them, his head was running a million miles per hour, he didn’t want to lose his best friend, but damn him if he didn’t want to continue his actions he started last night. 

He shook his head, his heart not screaming loud at him enough for him to stay as he walked out of Erwin’s embrace, grabbing his phone and his keys, pulling on his sneakers at the base of the stairs. 

“Levi please…” he remained silent, eyes hiding behind his hair as he tied his shoes, Erwin grew frustrated, grabbing Levi’s hand, forgetting that his man can take down people twice his size. Levi twisted Erwin’s hand, glaring at him. 

“This was a bad idea, Erwin...I’m going for a run, don’t follow me.” His tongue was sharp, he refused to look up at Erwin’s hurt expression as he walked out the door locking it behind him. 

Erwin’s fist hit the wall, not hard enough to punch a hole, but the picture above crashed onto the ground. 

“Fuck!” Erwin cursed running his hands through his hair. 

* * *

He couldn’t tell how long he was going for. His knee was aching, so at this point, he knew he was past ten miles. His phone buzzed in his ear, “Incoming call from Mike.” His headphones repeated for the second time. He slowed to a walk, taking out his phone from his pocket, sliding to answer. 

“What?” Levi answered harshly.

“Someone’s in a nasty mood, the fuck is your problem?” 

“I’m on a run, what do you want?” Levi was trying to catch his breath, leaning against the railing, looking out over the Hudson River. 

“I wanted to call to say congrats on the win, but nevermind if you’re in a shitty mood. What’s up with you?” 

“I don’t want to talk about it.” 

“Liar, you tell me everything. Hey, wasn’t Erwin’s birthday yesterday? Tell him I said Happy Belated.” 

Levi shook his head, no matter what he did he couldn’t escape it, “You can tell him yourself, you have his phone number.” 

“Oh...oh no Levi...what did you do?” 

Levi’s head went down on the railing, “I got way too drunk last night, one thing led to another and I yelled at him this morning. Now I feel guilty as fuck.” 

“Well, I mean the man isn’t straight Levi, it’s not like you forced a straight man to have sex with you.”

Levi tsked, shaking his head, his breath finally coming back to him, “Levi, tell me honestly, what do you want, you’ve been in love with this guy since I’ve known you and you act on it and now you’re beating yourself up to shit. What do you want?” 

Levi remained silent, not sure how to answer any of Mike’s questions, “Well, Levi...if you’re worried about this getting leaked to the public, you know I’ve offered you lawyers and damage control management. Hell, Pyxis slaps our asses for fun if we buy him a bottle of scotch for his birthday. No way in hell is that man as straight as he says he is.” 

Levi couldn’t help but laugh, “I know, but I’m the shortest in the league, how would it look if I came out. Everyone would call me a twink.” 

“Oh my god, I think this would be hilarious, your new name is now Take-Down Twink.” 

“Mike, this is serious.” 

“I’m being fully serious, call me your new manager Twinkie...wait...is that what it actually means to be a twink? You get-” 

“Mike! Stop it!” He rolled his eyes starting his walk back to the apartment.

“Look, if you love him, go for it, I’m sure he understands that you don’t want to come out right now to the public. Levi, you need to stop denying yourself happiness. You’re miserable alone.” 

“I’m not miserable…” Levi muttered, kicking a rock along the sidewalk. 

“You’re fairly miserable.” 

Levi sighed into the phone, rubbing the bridge of his nose, “Look,” Mike continued, “give the guy a chance. A proper good chance. Hear me out, you’re leaving town again next Monday. You basically have until then before things get awkward. Believe me, fucking your roommate and not making anything out of it ruins the whole thing.” 

“Who did you?”

“That doesn’t matter at this point, we’re talking about you. Give him a chance.” He could hear Natalie yelling from the kitchen for Mike, “Natalie is yelling at me to get off the phone, good luck kid.”

The call ended and Levi was left looking at his phone, “Goddammit.” His head was so confused. He knew Mike was right in everything he was saying. Hell, Erwin even said he was willing to wait for Levi to properly come out. But he didn’t know himself if he was willing to do it. How long it would take for him to grow the balls to do it. If he even could do it. He sighed as he dragged his feet, making the 20 block trek back to the apartment. 

* * *

When he arrived back in the apartment, all the lights were off and Erwin’s presence was nowhere to be found. His keys were off the hook and his jacket was gone. The briefcase he left by the door carrying his multitude of papers and lecture notes for the day was gone. 

Class, it’s a Monday...he has class until 9 pm tonight. He remembered, slipping off his shoes and placing them next to the stairs to gather after his second shower of the day. 

After he emerged from the shower his phone was buzzing on the counter. Hange. God damnit. 

He groaned, wrapping the towel around his waist, picking up the phone, holding it between his shoulder and his ear. 

“What do you want now, Hange?”

“Why did I just get off the phone with a very stressed-sounding Erwin?” The sounds of the hospital around them coming through the phone. 

“I don’t know, maybe he has a lecture he didn’t prepare for. Don’t yell at me.” Levi applied a fresh layer of deodorant before exiting the bathroom, picking up his shoes, and walking up the stairs to his room. 

“Levi,” Hange warned, their voice serious for once, “You really hurt him...” 

Levi bit his lip, the face he saw on Erwin made him feel like he just kicked a puppy, “Hange, I told him I can’t.” 

“Then why the hell did you let it go that far! That man is head of fucking heels for you. Did you not see the way he was looking at you last night?! He doesn’t care if you don’t want to be out. He just wants to be with you! Open your goddamn eyes and let someone love you for once!” 

Levi shut his eyes sitting on the bed cursing at himself in his head. Mike and Hange were always right…    
  


“Okay,” Levi whispered. 

* * *

The sun was going down and he was standing at the entrance of the university he hasn’t set foot in almost six years. Emotions swirled around in his head as he picked at the skin on this thumbs, his chest was tight as he wandered around the campus with his hoodie over his head looking for the History Department Building. 

_ Hange sat down next to Levi who was laying on his stomach in the sun, his head buried into his arms napping in the warmth of the last of the summer sun before fall. Erwin was leaning up against a tree on the blanket they had brought for their study session underneath an oak tree they claimed as Levi and Hange’s freshman year. Erwin adjusted his glass, looking up as Hange tickled Levi’s side and he jumped up, chasing after them on the lawn, tackling them to the ground.  _

He smiled softly as passed the large oak tree, making his way into his History Department Building. His eyes followed his finger as he read the directory for the professor’s offices.  _ Professor Erwin Smith 6th Floor _ was written at the bottom in bronze lettering, bright and new compared to the other professors who were dulled out from the years they had been teaching. He made his walk to the 6th floor, the whole building was quiet, no one was in any of the offices that he passed. The only light in the hallway coming from the last office on the left at the end of the hallway. He stood in front of the old wooden door with frosted glass and gold lettering reading, ‘Professor Erwin Smith, History Department’.

He lightly tapped on the door, shuffling papers and a chair were rolling on the hardwood flooring, “Come in.” 

He pushed open the door, Erwin’s back was to him, wearing a dark green sweater vest and a white dress shirt, ironed and fitted well, smart. He tapped on his computer, closing out whatever tab he was browsing. There were stacks of papers next to him with red marks all over the first page. His bookshelf was filled to the brim, books that couldn’t fit on the shelf were stacked on the floor. His eyes found the red box sitting on the other side of his desk, next to his coffee cup. His eyes scanned for the poster that hung near the window, he smiled sadly. His office was orderly but overwhelming. 

“Office hours are over for today, but I have a minute, what brings you-“ he turned in his chair, taking the pen out of his mouth when he sees Levi closing the door behind him, moving his hoodie off from his head.

“You’re not a student here anymore.” 

“You’re right, I graduated. With honors, I might add.” Levi leaned against the door frame, silently locking it behind him. 

“What are you doing here, Levi.” Erwin moved his glass from his face and placed them on his desk, leaning back in his chair, “Seems like you’re the one who followed me.” 

“It’s not hard when the History Department is written on the side of the building and your name is literally in bronze on the directory. Plus your schedule is on my phone.” 

“They finally did that? I didn’t even notice.” 

“Erwin…” 

Erwin sighed, “What came to tell me more of this morning? Tell me that I should have put the sheets in the wash? Couldn’t that have waited until I got home?” Levi winced at Erwin’s harsh tone. He was angry, and he has every right to be. 

Levi shook his head, looking down at his feet at the dark wood, “I wanted to apologize.” 

Erwin raised an eyebrow, regretting getting defensive, “I...I wanted to tell you....” Levi continued, still staring down at the floor, “that I’m willing… to try… to only come home to you...” 

They both stared at each other for a long moment, the silence deafening as Levi finally laid out his heart to the man he’s been in love with for years. Erwin’s eyes only left his as Levi took a step towards speaking, “Please say somethin-“ Erwin was quick, standing and grabbing his hand, pulling Levi’s smaller frame into his, cupping his face, and kissing him hard.

Levi let out a small unintentional squeak, his shaking hands circling Erwin’s neck as his stomach started flipping over as his chest swelled with the warmth that he’s craved for so long. 

Levi broke the kiss to breathe and Erwin immediately flew to his neck, Levi’s eyes fluttered closed as Erwin marked him down his neck, “Do-don’t you have a class tonight?” 

“They can wait another ten minutes, bend over on the desk.” 

“Only ten minutes? You lasted longer last night.” That comment got Levi pinned straight down onto Erwin’s desk, papers floating to the ground and coffee shaking in its cup. 

* * *

Levi couldn’t sleep as he stared at the clock, his plane back to California left in six hours. Erwin was dead asleep next to him, naked limbs tangled together and his heavy arm thrown over his chest. Levi’s hand was stroking his hair as Erwin fell asleep after their activities. His legs still ached the hours after they finished, the clock flipped to 2:45 and he sighed softly, his hand pushed underneath his pillow, his other lightly falling to Erwin’s back giving brushes over the red marks he left. The last week had been nothing but bliss, Levi couldn’t stop smiling. Even Kenny took notice of his better mood asking if he finally got a lady, he ignored him for the rest of the day. But now as he laid in bed with Erwin’s warmth, the thought of leaving hurt, it hurt worse than all the times he’s left before. This was exactly what he was afraid of, he was going to be gone for almost 45 days going to different training programs with Mike. His schedule that Mike has sent over gave him zero free time aside from recovery days which were to be spent phone-free and recovering his sore body. Mike told him to be prepared and that Kenny had given him the okay to introduce him to a pair of fighters in the HeavyWeight division that could benefit him with his fight with Jaeger. 

He would be getting back to New York before his birthday just in time for the first snow of the winter. Erwin kept insisting that they would be fine, but the anxiety kept creeping up on him at night. He finally had what he wanted, and how he has to leave it. 

Erwin hummed, stirring, giving light sleepy kisses on Levi’s chest up to his neck. 

“Why are you still awake?” Erwin’s voice was thick with sleep, deeper and coarse. 

“I can’t sleep...don’t worry though, go back to sleep.” 

Erwin rubbed his eyes, moving his pillow over and rolling onto his back. Levi watched him with his always tired eyes, his wrist getting pulled over. He let himself move to Erwin’s will as his leg sliding over Erwin’s hip, settling himself into his spot against Erwin’s chest. 

“Try to count sheep or something.” Erwin lightly grazed his hand over Levi’s upper back. He let his eyes close, taking in the soft scent he’s grown to crave over the last few days. 

“I did already, stupid sheep didn’t work.” 

“What about your sleeping pills?” Erwin suggested. Hange has prescribed him sleeping pills last year as his insomnia started to plague him again. Only recently has it been kicking up again. Alcohol-induced sleep was the only kind he was getting lately. It worked, but not well. He hated taking the pills, he felt like crap the next morning, still groggy and out of it, but the alcohol sleeping aid was never better. 

Levi shrugged, “It’s too late, I have to be up in three hours anyway. If I take it I’ll miss my flight.”

“That doesn’t sound like a bad idea.” 

“Erwin…”

“I’m sorry… I’ll stop. I know you’re stressed.” He kissed the top of Levi’s head, “it won’t be as bad as you think, we have phones, FaceTime, if Mike allows it we can do one of those cheesy FaceTime dates where we buy each other food and it’s a surprise.” 

Levi laughed lightly, “God, what have we turned into…” 

“Very happy people.” Erwin turned his head into the pillow, yawning, “Try to get some sleep...please...I don’t want you all tired and sleepy tomorrow, you have a long day.” 

“I’ll try.”

Levi was able to fitfully sleep for the last two hours, when he woke, Erwin’s back was to him, snoring softly cuddling a pillow. Levi sat up, the bags under his eyes dark, he quietly pulled back the covers, looking down at the bruises on his hips left by Erwin last night. The ones on his chest and collarbone from the week barely starting to fade. He silently moved out of the bed, unplugging his phone from its charger. He slipped out of Erwin’s room without him waking up and went to take a shower to attempt to wake up and get ready for his day of travel. After he gathered his luggage at the door, the sun was barely rising, Erwin yet to notice his presence not in the bed with him anymore. He slowly opened up his door, Erwin was cuddling with the pillow his head was just resting on shortly before. He sat on the bed moving Erwin’s hair out of his face and his eyes slowly opened. 

“Are you leaving?” 

Levi nodded and gave him a slow, long kiss, not caring about his morning breath mixing with his freshly brushed teeth. 

“Text me when you land, I’ll be in lecture…” 

Levi nodded again, “Of course.” 

* * *

When he landed at LAX, he texted Erwin while the plane was taxiing to the gate. Mike was already waiting in baggage claim when he walked down. Levi kept his head down with his back hood up, “Hey lover boy. Ready for hell?” 

“Can it wait for tomorrow? I feel like shit.” Levi walked past him, waiting at the carousel for his bag. 

“Ohhh mister grumpy pants leaves his boyfriend and is all sad now,” Mike said in a mocking baby voice putting his hand on his shoulder, Levi glared grabbing his wrist and twisting it. 

“Ow ow ow ow, okay...okay! It can wait for tomorrow! Let go!” Levi released his hand, grabbing his black suitcase as it went by. They started in the car, Levi threw his bag into the trunk of Mike’s car and jumped into the passenger seat. 

“Can you at least do a workout? I invited the guys I want you to meet to the gym at home at 5. They’re really eager to meet you and work together.” 

“I guess.” Levi yawned, pulling the lever to lower his seat. 

“You can try to take a nap before, I don’t want to give you pre-workout because last time you didn’t sleep for almost 2 days.” 

Levi laughed lightly, “I felt like God after that. Like shit the next day, but I think I met a personal record on my deadlift that day.” 

“You can deadlift twice your weight on the regular, you can literally throw me.” 

“I’ll throw you out of the car if you don’t stop talking.” Levi took out his sunglasses, putting them on, the hard California sun was always hard on his light eyes. 

Mike kept his mouth shut for the remainder of the car ride back to his home. Levi shut the trunk, pulling his luggage into the house. The perk of training in California with Mike is that he had his own space in the casita, separated away from the rest of the house, fit with everything besides the kitchen. The garage had a home gym that they would use daily, and it was only 5 minutes away from Mike’s dojo. Hiking trails galore and the beach only a 30-minute drive. Picture perfect, except for the screaming kids at 6 a.m. 

Natalie with her waist-long blonde hair, opened up the front door smiling, kissing her husband on the cheek as he walked by. 

“Hi, Levi.” 

“Hey, Nat. Where are the boys?” He asked as he rolled his suitcase in. 

“At grandmas, they’re gonna spend the night.” Natalie shut the door behind her, “Oh honey what did you do to your neck?” 

Levi’s hand clamped over his neck before Natalie’s fingers grazed it.

“A hickey from his loverboy!” Mike called out from the kitchen and Levi rolled his eyes. 

Natalie giggled, “Oh my, so it finally happened huh? Only took you how long again?”

He ignored their comments, “I’m gonna take a nap,” Levi stated and walked away into the casita, putting his luggage onto the bed and started to unpack. As soon as his items were away he changed out of his disgusting airport clothes and crawled into the bed. 

Mike knocked on his door a few hours later, opening it slightly, seeing a sleepy Levi stretched out his back yawning hair messy and all over the place. 

“You slept hard.” He mentioned and Levi nodded, rubbing his eyes, “The guys will be here in about 30 minutes, get ready.” 

* * *

Levi made his way into the garage, he had his hood over his head to hide the marks Erwin had left, the two large blondes stood talking to Mike, all laughing about something. 

“Jesus Christ, do you all have to be over six feet?” Levi mocked and the two turned, Levi recognized one of them, the one with the short crew cut who had a face like a bulldog. Reiner Braun, Heavyweight Champion in the UFC, liked to call himself the Armoured King. Levi always thought it was a stupid name. The other he had seen in passing at fights or training sessions. He wore glasses and had floppy blonde hair, what was his name again…

“Levi, this is Reiner Braun and Zeke Jaeger.”

“I know you,” he pointed at Reiner holding out his hand to shake it, “But I haven’t seen you much.” 

Zeke smiled shaking his hand, “Mike contacted Reiner and I think we have some useful information for your next fight.”

“They’re related,” Mike added. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hehe, so the boys together now, fluffy happy times ahead right? 
> 
> but my academia heart would die if I have Erwin as my professor. straight up die.
> 
> I love feedback! Please comment!


	7. chapter seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Insert worried Erwin and Levi’s birthday talk

It has been two weeks into his training with Mike, Reiner, and Zeke. Needless to say, he had never been sorer in his life. Every day Mike would wake him up at the crack of dawn and they would go for a hike or a run, on easier days his oldest son would come with them. Then it was straight to the Dojo for a session with Reiner and Zeke. Lunch was made courageously by Natalie. A hard-lifting workout session. Dinner. Repeat. 

Yesterday he was able to finally have a FaceTime call with Erwin and they were able to send each other their schedules and have reminders set whenever the other was free. Texting was limited as Mike kept him so busy and only brief quick phone calls between them during breaks or when Levi sneaked out of training for a minute. He missed him. He missed him. He felt cold sleeping without Erwin’s presence behind him. 

Erwin would end the phone calls with ‘only however many days left’ and it made Levi even sadder as the days seemed to drag. 

“So he’s your brother, why do you train Braun and not him?” 

Zeke chuckled, taking a sip from his water, on break from the combination training they were doing for the day, “It's kind of a long story, our father trains him in Germany. I’m like the black sheep of the family he doesn’t want anyone to know about, well, that’s how it feels anyway. Eren and I are almost 15 years apart. Our father had me with my mom here in the United States. Apparently, he met some women on a work trip in Germany, knocked her up and the spawn of satan is here trying to take your title.”

Levi rolled his eyes taking a swig from his water, “Funny thing is, he never showed me martial arts, even though he was one of the best fighters back in the 90s... I joined by myself in high school, against my mother’s wishes. Pyxis actually scouted me and took me under his wing for a while. I competed, won, but never really liked it too much. Now I coach. Reiner is the best that I have in my roster.” 

“That’s pretty cool that you gave the bird to your father. He sounds like a prick.” 

Zeke laughed, “Oh he is. Believe me. Ready for more?” 

Levi’s legs were jelly and he almost shook his head, “Yeah…” 

Zeke popped up and let out his hand, Levi took it picking himself up. 

* * *

“If you have any questions you know when my office hours are. Don’t forget that your essay is due on Friday. I expect everyone to have at least 5 pages done by tonight and sent over as your rough draft.” Erwin was standing in front of his class as everyone gathered their items to leave. He picked up his glasses from the center table and sat down to close out his computer. His phone buzzed in his pocket and his heart swelled quickly pulling it out to answer. 

“Hello.” 

“Hi.” He could hear Levi’s smile through the phone. 

“Hi. Mike finally let you free for a while?” The class was thinning out and he closed his laptop putting it into his briefcase. 

“He gave me the rest of the day off.” Levi was laying down in bed with an ice pack on his knee, but he wasn’t about to let Erwin worry about that. 

“Oh that’s good, what are you going to do with the rest of it?” He picked up his bag and exited the classroom, locking it behind him. 

“Sleep...properly. If I can, I’m spent.” 

“I’ve been watching your Instagram. Seems like he’s making you work. Maybe I should say something. Can’t have my boyfriend be broken when he gets back.” 

Levi chuckled, “I’m fine, I promise. Nothing I’m not used to. This Zeke guy is the one kicking my ass. Mike is taking a back seat on the training this time.” 

“Can you tell me more about him? We’ve barely gotten to talk and you’ve been there for two weeks already.” Erwin knew this would happen, even though they spoke about it at length that neither of them would have time for each other. Erwin couldn’t help that he missed the crap out of him. 

“I know...I’m sorry, but I told you it would happen.” 

“I know...I just miss you that’s all.” Erwin made his way into his office, shutting and locking the door behind him. 

“I miss you too...more than you think.” He tossed the ice pack to the side. 

There was a knock on his office door and Erwin sighed, “Levi I gotta go...I’ll call you later okay?” 

* * *

Zeke was making him do a beyond-hard HIIT workout. Every time they would grapple for five minutes, him and Reiner. They would immediately go into burpees or whatever cardio Zeke had decided to do.

The bell rang for them to stop grappling and Levi struggled to get up. His breath was caught in his throat, sweat was dripping off of his face and he sat on his hands and knees coughing. 

“Up Ackerman, come on!” Zeke yelled out. Mike had put down his water bottle, already seeing the look on Levi’s face he knew from the beginning of their friendship. He couldn’t breathe. This throat was closing on him. 

“Levi, are you okay?” Mike called out and Levi shook his head, rolling onto his back, the first wheeze that he heard Mike jumped up, scrambling through Levi’s training bag. 

“Is he having an asthma attack?” Zeke asked, dropping to his knees, making Levi sit up to take the pressure off his lungs. He held onto his chest, his face going even more red as he struggled to get air. Mike was finally able to find his inhaler at the bottom of his duffle bag, running over and sliding on his knees on the mat. 

“Breathe in,” Mike commanded, holding the inhaler to his lips. Levi sucked in the medicine, holding it inside his lungs for only a second before coughing it out. 

“Again.” 

Levi grabbed the inhaler taking in the medicine. He forgot what it felt like, he hasn’t had his asthma triggered in years like this in years. Levi laid back down on the mat, covering his mouth as the couch wrecked his body. 

“That's enough for the day. You need to rest.” Mike said he could feel his whole body go cold, Zeke grabbed his water and handed it to him and he twisted off the cap chugging it.

“Damn I didn’t think I went that hard.” Reiner sat down cross-legged looking at Levi with worry. 

Mike shook his head, “Not your fault, Reiner. Come on, let’s get you home. Zeke, use the key I gave you to lock up.” 

The blonde nodded as Mike helped a still coughing Levi to his feet, his eyes watering as he stood up, Mike taking his wrist to get his items. His coughing settled as they got into the car, his eyes red from the coughing attack. After they made it home, Mike told him to take a hot shower and he’ll bring him some tea. He let the warm water roll over him, noticing the aching in his arms and chest. It was a strange ache, it wasn’t just his muscles but he could feel it in his bones. 

After he emerged from the shower, a steaming cup of tea was sitting on his nightstand with his inhaler next to it. He changed into a fresh pair of sweats and a long t-shirt, crawling into bed.

“An asthma attack?” Levi was still laying in bed, long after the sun had fallen past the ocean, his laptop in front of him on a video call with Erwin and Hange.

“What do you mean an asthma attack?” Erwin’s panicked voice was right behind them, popping his head into the view of the camera, still wearing his lecture clothes. 

“I’m fine I promise. I just-“ his lungs itched and he covered his mouth and let out a deep cough, “I’m fine.” 

“You don’t sound fine…” Hange hummed, scratching the side of their head, “The last time you had an asthma attack was three years ago. Did something trigger it? I mean you smoke for Christ sake, so it can’t be that.” 

Levi pulled the blankets over his shoulders, he was shivering but luckily the camera couldn’t pick it up, his laptop on the other side of the bed, “I don’t know. I feel fine, kinda…? I’m really cold but it’s like 80 degrees outside.” 

“Ut oh, I know what you have.”

“Hmm?” Levi opened his eyes, his eyes finding Erwin’s who’s brows were together in worry. 

“The flu.” 

“I’m not sick, I don’t get sick Hange.” 

“Number one, that’s a lie, number two you’ve been training stupidly hard. Maybe one of Mike’s kids brought it into the house. Have they been sick?” 

Levi tried to think back, grimacing at the memory of Mike’s oldest sneezing right in his face and apologizing afterward. 

“Oh no…” Levi groaned, pulling the blankets over his head. 

“Tell Mike you need a few days off.” Erwin said, “Please, you need it. Before I start to worry.” 

“I will.” 

Hange looked up at Erwin, mouth gaped open, “Oh my god you’ve cracked the fucking code. He listens to you!” 

“He’s a good sub.” Erwin clamped a hand over his mouth and Levi’s eyes went wide. 

Hange started laughing maniacally, “NO WAY.” 

“I’m hanging up.” Levi sat up, feeling the pressure in his nose as he sniffled. 

“No no no, please I’m sorry!” Erwin pleaded. 

“Fine, let me go talk to Mike quick.” 

Levi peeled himself out of the bed, opening up the door to the casita, slipping his sandals on, making his way into the main house. Natalie was sitting on the couch with the boys, one in her lap with a bright red nose, the other dead asleep on her side. Mike was in the kitchen making some type of soup on the stove. 

“Hey…” Levi said to make his presence known, Natalie looked up and immediately noticed his flushed skin. 

“Ut oh...someone else got it. Mike, we’re next.” Natalie said as she stroked the back of her sick son. Mike looked up, his eyebrows raising as he lifted a hand to Levi’s forehead. 

“Well, that explains the coughing I could hear, you’re burning up Levi, did you take anything?” Levi shook his head, the cold against his forehead felt relieving. 

“Take some aspirin and some NyQuil, we don’t have to train tomorrow. We’ll play it by ear until you feel completely better, go rest. Text me if you need anything.” 

He nodded.

* * *

His whole body ached, but not the sore aching he was used to as this point. He could feel it in his bones, each cough was another reminder that he should quit smoking soon.

Last night was the worst, after taking the NyQuil, he passed out while talking to Erwin on FaceTime. He woke up to a dark screen and his body sticky with sweat, completely sweating through his hoodie and sweats. 

“Fuck…” he mumbled, overly groggy from the medicine, he hated taking any type of medicine, he left completely out of his body and it always made him nauseous. He stripped himself out of his hoodie and sweatpants, the cold air in the night making his body tremble. He felt like shit, he felt the sheets to make sure he didn’t sweat through them, luckily his hoodie to the brunt of it. He sleepily pulled out a new t-shirt and sweats, pulling out a pair of socks as well before crawling back into bed. His head felt like it was splitting in half with every movement he made. He felt a wave of nausea roll over him and held his stomach. 

“Don’t...don’t you dare puke.” He pleaded to his body, he hated throwing up, the last time he puked was when Furlan came down with food poisoning and threw up in his bed, getting it all over his legs. The smell alone made him throw up everything Mrs. Church had made from dinner that night.

Mike tapped on his door the next morning, opening it slowly, seeing Levi passed out on the bed, his cheeks still red and the collar of his t-shirt damp. He quietly snuck inside, wearing a mask that Natalie argued with him over before he came out. He put the temperature gauge to his head, it beeping out 102.8. 

“Yikes…” Mike whispered and Levi slowly opened his eyes, pulling the blankets around him more. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up. How are you feeling?”

Levi just shook his head and pulled the pillow over his eyes, “You’re still burning, take some more medicine and sleep for the rest of the day.” 

“I don’t want any more medicine...it makes me too nauseous.” Levi groaned. 

“You have a high fever, do you want me to call Hange and have her yell at you?” 

Levi shook his head, he didn’t want to bother his friend with his stupid flu. “Then take the damn medicine.” Mike held out the pills and Levi sat up, his nose red and completely stuffed up. He took the pills from his hand and threw them into his mouth and grabbed his water, swallowing them down. 

“Good, I’m gonna make you some toast think you can eat a little bit? I’m sure you’re feeling the body aches and the muscle aches.” Levi just nodded, curling himself back into the bed. 

“One of the strongest fighters in the world gets taken down by the flu.” Mike chuckled and Levi coughed into his elbow. 

“Ew,” Mike grimaced, “I’ll be back with your toast.” 

* * *

It took Levi two more days to be able to get out of bed and sit down to have a full meal with Mike. The house was quiet at 6am, Natalie and the boys were still sleeping. He was sitting at the counter in his hiking clothes and boots. Levi picked over his oatmeal and banana he had made, his body wasn’t hungry despite being on limited calories for the last 72 hours. 

“You need to eat.” Mike was already rinsing his bowl in the sink. 

“I am.” He picked up a piece of banana in his spoon. 

“You’re picking.” 

His stomach was still nauseous, but didn’t want Mike to give him anymore shit. Levi put the spoon into his mouth, looking at Mike, “See?” 

“The whole bowl, I’m starting you back easy, we’re just going on the hike so you can get some blood flow in you.” 

“I can still beat you to the top.” Levi mocked as he took another bite and Mike smirked. 

“There’s my Levi back.”

* * *

The next day Levi was back in the dojo with Zeke, the three of them lucked out on not catching what Levi had and continued training without him. 

“You need to guard your legs more, you’re so focused on your opponent’s arm movements that you forget,” Reiner swiped Levi’s legs and he fell to the mat, “That they have an advantage because of your height.” 

Levi popped himself back up guarding himself, his eyes were serious as he glared at the buzz cut blonde, “Piece of shit…” he muttered. 

“It’s because of your size, your eyes level it at their fist, so yes, that’s going to be your main focal point, but Jaeger is a kickboxer, the kid uses his legs to his advantage. He also has a long reach with them. He’s messy, but so far unbearable.”

Reiner tried to swipe him down again as he was quickly able to move out of the way, using his leg to trip Reiner to the mat. Their size difference was comical, Reiner almost has 60 pounds on Levi and nearly a foot taller than him. He was far slower than him, but any weight the man put on him Levi almost always tapped out. Levi was able to get his arm behind Reiner, but he rolled out of the hold and onto Levi who winced and tapped on the mat. 

“This man is a fucking tree, I can’t do anything to him!” He complained as he sat back up on his knees. 

“Again.” Zeke said and Mike looked over at him with a questioning look. 

Levi stood up and Reiner came after him, Levi swiftly moved and swung his body around, using his weight to throw Reiner onto the ground, wrapping his leg around Reiner’s neck, locking his legs. Reiner instantly tapped out and Levi released him and they both laid on the ground out of breath. 

“I think you can do it Levi.” Zeke stated with a smile.

* * *

Erwin was laying on the couch watching the livestream that Mike had going on his phone of the four men weightlifting in the garage. The music was blaring and you couldn’t hear any of the conversation they were having, but the chat was enjoying it nonetheless. Erwin was just happy to watch Levi have fun as he sipped on his drink. 

_ Ackerman is gonna beat the shit out of jaeger  _

_ This man has some serious strength _

_ Jaeger is gonna win, it’s time for Ackerman get set aside  _

Erwin frowned at the comment and hid the chat, watching as Levi took his place on the bar for a deadlift. 

“Go! Go! Go!” They chanted all laughing. 

Mike slid over to the phone picking it up to get a better angle, “This is a PR for his deadlift guys! 325! Can shorty do it!” Mike announced to the livestream. 

“Mike shut up for like two minutes.” Levi smirked, his waist was clinched in by the back brace he wore whenever working out with heavy weight. 

He gripped onto the bar, his face instantly going red as he lifted the weight, struggling to get it past his knees, he made it to the rise of the lift and set it down. 

“Damnnnn.” Zeke laughed, “Come on Mike, what was your last one? 200?” 

“Hey! I’m not the professional MMA fighter here anymore.” Mike tried to defend himself. 

“Neither am I and I can still deadlift more than you.” Zeke retorted with a smirk. 

Both Levi and Reiner let out low, “Ohhhhhs” at their coaches bickering laughing next to each other. 

Erwin smiled watching Levi’s face, he missed him, they only had less than a week left until Levi was back in New York. He was dying to get his hands back on Levi, over the weeks they were able to carve out more and more time for each other, spending hours on the phone during the evening until either of them fell asleep. He felt like a giddy teenager again, constantly thinking about what the other was doing. If he was thinking about him? Hell, he even put a photo of Levi on his lockscreen. 

“What do you want for your birthday?” Erwin asked one night while Levi was sewing a patch in his gi pants. 

“Nothing, just to be back home with you.” His hair was still damp from his bath soak in Epsom salts for his muscles. He smelled like a damn lavender bomb now, but it felt really nice. His tongue was peeking out from his lips as he concentrated on threading the needle. 

“I want you home too, but I also want to do something for your birthday. Hange wanted to throw a little party, but I told her you’d kill them.” 

“That’s true. I would kill them, but my birthday is on Christmas, everyone is with families at home. Besides, didn’t you want to head back home to England this year? Your dad isn’t getting any younger.” Erwin sighed, it was true. His father moved back to England after he started college, saying that he didn’t need to be at home all by himself when they have family at home. Ever since his mother passed away when he was a child, his father and him were inseparable, constantly going places together and making memories of their own. That his mother’s dying wish was to give Erwin the best childhood he possibly could have. Now all they had to connect to each other was a cell phone and a handful of free minutes. 

They sat in silence for a moment as Levi threaded his gi pants to patch up the tear, “Do you want to come with me?” 

Levi’s head snapped up to camera, pricking himself with the needle, “Ow, fuck.” He waved his hand to get rid of the stinging, “You want me to come to England and meet your family?” 

“Well it’s not like they don’t know who you are. They know we’ve been friends for ages at this point.” 

“Yeah, but it’s different this time.” 

“Have you been to Europe during Christmas?” 

Levi shook his head, “I can’t say that I have.” 

“It’s beautiful...please, I’d love for you to come with me. They have these shops all set up for Christmas with hot wine and food stalls. Everyone is happy and in a good mood. I can even look up to see the prices for the same flight.

“Erwin…”

“Levi…” Erwin gave almost puppy dog looking eyes through the camera and Levi caved. 

“Fine, search up the price and I’ll give you my card number.” 

“Nope! This is my birthday present for you!” 

“Erwin!” It wasn’t like they were hard for money like back in college, both of them made well over 6 figures a year at this point in their careers, but how Levi was raised, he always cringed when people bought him things. 

“Fine…” Levi waved his hand, going back to patching up the whole, “I’ll handle the other expenses though, I promise.” 

“Deal.” 

* * *

When Levi got off of the plane from LAX, he rushed through the airport at JFK, quickly grabbing his back and running out onto the curb hailing a cab. 

“West 57th and Ninth, please!” He threw his bag into the back truck and himself in the back and the cab was off. He was buzzing with excitement to see his home city as they flew over. Only thirty more minutes and he will be back home. Back in his comfort. Back with Erwin. It was cold for the middle of December and the clouds were dark. It could only mean one thing. Rain. He tried to put it in the back of his mind. His trauma was not about to ruin his day for him. His leg bounced up and down as they drove over the Brooklyn bridge. Every time he came back to New York it felt like the first time he drove in with Furlan and Isabel all those years again from upstate. 

When the cab halted in front of his apartment building he handed the driver the amount and some extra, grabbing his bag from the back and ran up the stairs to the entrance. The door man waved at him with a smile, “Mister Ackerman, nice to see you home.”

He smiled and gave a small nod back, running through the lobby and hitting the elevator button. It felt like an eternity til it stopped on his floor, he fiddled with his keys trying to put it into the lock up the door swung open and a pair of arms circled around him sweeping him inside swiftly with his bag and the door closed behind him. 

Erwin’s lips were instantly on his, his bag tipped onto the ground and his backpack was thrown to the side. The smell of ember and leather filled his lungs as he took all of Erwin in, getting pinned up against the wall. 

“Hi.” Erwin finally said after breaking the kiss to breathe, cupping his face with his hand. 

“Hi...I’m home.” 

“You’re home.” Erwin smiled, “You probably want to shower.” 

Levi nodded quickly, “As much as I’d like to get down and dirty right now, I have airports all over me and I feel gross.” Erwin let go of him and he quickly picked up his bag taking it up the stairs to his room, opening it up on the floor and taking all his toiletries out and walking down to the bathroom. 

He made quick work getting the day of travel off of him, wrapping himself in the towel before stepping out, Erwin was shuffling around in his room from what he could hear and he walked in. Erwin turned with a seductive smirk on his lips, “So you remember our conversation the other week right? About turn ons?”

Levi's throat tightened as the site of rope and the blindfold laying on the bed, “I figured we could go easy to start, then keep exploring.” 

“You did some shopping I see.” 

Erwin chuckled, “I did do some shopping…” he picked up the blindfold and walked over to Levi. “Drop your towel.” 

Levi immediately did as he was told, dropping the towel to expose his naked body. Erwin kept his smirk as he lifted the blindfold and tied it around Levi’s head.

“That’s a good boy.” His growl did something to Levi, he wasn’t even touched properly yet, but he was already throbbing hard. 

“What’s your safe word?” Erwin’s fingers grazed down his chest making goosebumps form across his body. 

“Red.” 

“And to slow down?” 

“Yellow, like a traffic light.” He felt pressure behind his knees and he slowly was lowered to his knees on the carpet. 

“You don’t have much work to do… I’ve been waiting for way too long.” He could hear Erwin’s pants unzip and his mouth was waiting in anticipation for his cock. He was almost drooling when Erwin finally removed his clothes and placed his cock into his mouth. Levi sucked eagerly, Erwin already hard as a rock. A hand raked through his hair, holding behind his head as Erwin groaned above gripping his hair harder. Levi should feel the mixture of siliva and pre-cum drip down his chin and onto his chest when Erwin removed himself from his mouth. 

He was suddenly lifted up and moved back onto the bed, Erwin’s hands running up his thighs. 

“This is new.” His thumbs lingered on the new tattoo on his thigh that was already healed. 

“You noticed.” Levi small laughed turned into a gasp as Erwin kissed his inner thigh. 

“It’s not that hard to notice.” The tattoo took up most of his upper right thigh, running all the way up to almost his hip bone. 

“Surprise.” 

“It’s super hot, turn over.” 

Levi turned his body over and both of Erwin’s hands came up to grab his ass, spreading apart his cheeks. Levi moaned when he felt Erwin’s tongue as his entrance, grinding his hips back into him. 

“Fuck.” Levi moaned out, his hand was pulled behind his back and he felt rope slip around his wrist and tighten all while he was withering under his tongue. 

“You stretched out in the shower?” Erwin asked and Levi gave a small nod, whimpering at the lack of contact. Erwin remained quiet as his other hand was grabbed and wrapped around his rope, locking his arms behind him. 

He could hear the tube open and then the strong pressure that made him yelp out, Erwin’s hands grabbed the rope tying his wrist together to keep him from moving forward and he pressed into Levi. 

“A-ah! Shit!” 

“Breathe.” Erwin moaned as he bottomed out into Levi, who’s thighs were already shaking. Levi tried to relax by controlling his breathing but Erwin had already started thrusting into him making him moan out in pleasure. His entire body was on pins and needles as skin slapped together and breathless moans escaped his lungs. 

“Fuck I missed you…” Erwin growled, Levi could feel himself getting hotter and his dripped onto the sheets. He was so desperate to play with himself. He felt his wrist getting tugged at and he lifted his body, folding back against Erwin, rolling his hips back into his in a desperate attempt for it not to stop. Erwin ripped off the blindfold, seeing Levi’s eyes brimmed with tears, his entire face flushed made the animal inside him crave more. 

He pulled himself out of Levi who whined at the emptiness, turning him around to face him, his arms trapped behind him, their bodies slid together perfectly as he pushed himself inside. Levi back arched, legs tangling with Erwin’s as he thrusted into him.

“To-touch me…” Levi moaned. 

“What was that? I’m sorry I can’t hear you.” 

Fuck, he was going to make him beg. 

“Erwin touch me, please. 

“Be a good boy and speak up louder.” Erwin thrusted into him particularly hard and Levi yelped out as his prostate was hit straight on. 

“I wanna cum! Please let me cum! I’ve been a good boy!” He felt so hot, he could escape the heat inside him as Erwin lifted his legs onto his shoulders and repeatedly hit his prostate over and over. He was seeing spots as he gripped onto the sheets behind him, straining at the ropes. 

“Fuck.” Erwin cursed as Levi tightened around him, he was close but he wanted to see how far he could push him. 

Levi had tears falling onto the bed behind him, when he felt Erwin’s hand wrap around him, he could barely get two thrusts in until he made a mess into Erwin’s hand and onto his chest, some getting onto his chin. 

His eyes rolled back as body was being used to finish Erwin off, he could feel the hot ropes of cum inside him as Erwin gripped onto his hips rolling into him. 

“Fuck…welcome home huh…” 

Levi's legs shook as Erwin lowered them back down to the bed, “Food?” Levi couldn’t help but let out a small laugh as Erwin untied his wrists. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading again! I love comments and feedback on how the story is going. Thanks guys!


	8. chapter eight

It took a lot of convincing to let Levi go to England with Erwin. Being that his fight was only a month away with Jaeger. Kenny and Mike wanted him in full training mode when he got back to New York. 

“How long?” 

Levi was tying his shoes back on after his training, getting ready to leave when he brought up the trip, “It’s only a week. I promise.” 

“Is there a gym nearby?” 

“Yes. We’re staying in the middle of London. There's gyms around. It’s Christmas, Kenny! Come on.”

Kenny sighed, looking down at Levi, “Fine...so be it, who are you going with?” 

“Erwin.”

“That so-called roommate of yours?” Levi nodded and kept his eyes cast down as he stood up to walk out the door. 

When Mike called him later that evening he was screaming at him Mike, “After all that work I just put into you?!” 

“It’s just a week Mike!” 

“You have the fight in a month! You have to be training!”

They went about arguing for more than an hour on the phone as Levi paced the balcony, burning through cigarettes one after the other. Erwin watched from inside, his book closed with his finger holding his page. 

“Putain de merde. Ve te faire foutre...” Levi rubbed his temples when he walked back inside. 

Erwin raised an eyebrow, Levi never used his French unless he was angry or confused at something, “Didn’t sound like it went well...if this is going to be too much for you Levi I understand. The ticket is refundable.” Erwin set down his book on the end of the love seat as Levi crawled onto the couch back into his arms. 

“No…no that’s not the answer. I swear they treat me like I’m still 18.” He huffed, closing his eyes. Erwin brought up the throw blanket, wrapping it around the two of them. 

Even while Erwin was packing his bag, Levi sat cross legged on the bed looking visibly stressed as he went through his training program from Mike for the week he’d be gone. He’s never one to complain about overkill, but Mike was definitely pissed.

Only when boarding the aircraft to London Levi’s shoulder relaxed. 

“Excited?” Erwin smiled, putting their carry ons above.

“Very.” Levi smiled, unwrapping the scarf he was wearing from his neck.

* * *

“Papa!” Erwin grinned as he held onto his father as they embraced each other. 

“Oh my son, I missed you so much. It’s been far too long!” His father with his deep English accent patted his sons back as Erwin walked past him. 

“Levi, it’s nice to see you as well! Erwin tells me about everything you’re doing. I can’t help but to be proud of both of you.”

“Thank you Mr. Smith.” Levi smiled as he shook his hand, following after Erwin. 

“You two must be so tired, that flight is exhausting.” Erwin’s father said, gesturing to the couch for them to sit on. 

“Nothing I’m not used to, the one to Dubai is almost 12 hours. Longer if I’m going out of LA.”

“Half of the year Levi is on a plane going off somewhere,” said Erwin as they settled into the couch. 

Erwin’s fathers smile never broke, Levi had met the man before when he visited New York several years ago, but he only realized now how alike the two were.

“Oh goodness we have so much to catch up on. How’s Hange? She was always so smart and kind. Did she get into a residency program at the hospital.”

“They did.” Erwin sutly corrected his fathers missed pronoun. 

“Oh good! Levi, I do have to say, you’re quite the star here, us Englishman love a good brawl and the bars are packed when you’re fighting.” 

Levi smiled, “That’s nice to hear.” 

After chatting for a while, Erwin’s aunts had come over with grumpy uncles in tow holding items for dinner. Chaos couldn’t describe what was happening in the kitchen and Levi stayed as far away from it as possible with the uncles outside having cigarettes. Erwin was being dragged in each direction for the last hour as the aunts were all in the kitchen preparing dinner. Erwin found Levi outside with his Uncles, his cheeks red from his aunts kissing his cheeks with their red lipstick. 

“Help.” He took a swig from Levi’s whiskey, nearly finishing it. 

“No way In hell am I getting involved in that.” Levi laughed, shaking his head. 

A shrill voice came from the kitchen window, “Erwin! We need you!” 

“Good luck.” 

“Thank you.” He sighed and went back into the house, “I’m coming!” 

Levi chuckled following him inside to refill his drink, standing aside from this kitchen picking up the whiskey bottle. His two aunts moved around the kitchen as Erwin chopped up vegetables for the stew. He smiled as his aunt would crack jokes at him, already three glasses of wine deep. A hand came on his shoulder and Erwin’s father popped up next to him. 

“Levi, I want to thank you for coming. Mind if we talk briefly?” 

“Not at all Mr. Smith.” 

Erwin caught his father leading Levi away in the corner of his eye, raising an eyebrow.

His Aunt Margraet yelled, “The carrots aren’t going to chop themselves, Erwin!” 

* * *

“Levi,” he was mid sip on his drink when Erwin’s aunt called him.

“Yes?” He put down his drink, dapping his chin with his napkin, his full attention towards her. 

“Please. Enlighten us, do you have a girlfriend?” 

“Aunt Mary, please.” Erwin started to protest. 

Levi shook his head, “No, not exactly.” 

“A young handsome thing like you with no girlfriend, granted you’re a little small but-” 

“I think that’s enough wine for you Mary.” Erwin’s father picked up her wine glass from her and set it on the opposite end. 

Erwin’s hand found his thigh under the table giving a light squeeze. 

“Well,” Mary continued, “All I know is that I can’t wait to meet Erwin’s little girlfriend back in America.”

Erwin cleared his throat, picking up his glass, shaking his head, “Aunt Mary I think you have it all wrong.” 

“Levi,” she continued, ignoring her nephew, “do you have any family back at home?”

Erwin’s hand tightened on his thigh, glancing over at him in a “you don’t have to answer that” look. 

“I don’t.”

“Oh well that’s a shame, what about your mother?” 

“She died when I was six, I never knew my father. I was adopted by the Church family because my mother also had no family.”

“Oh my they must be lovely people as well, available to adopt is a wonderful thing, do you remain in contact with the-“

“They all passed away by the time I was 17.” He was growing agitated, his leg shaking under the table, “I’m sorry, but must you pry on my past?” 

Erwin chimed in, “Aunt Mary, I really think you should keep your mouth shut before you say something you’re going to regret, you’re drunk.”

“I’m just trying to find out more about your friend! You only told us you two went to college and he does that UMA, MMA, whatever fighting it is.” 

“It’s MMA and I fight with a globally recognized association. I’m top in my division, I’m not just some nobody.” Erwin’s thumb pressed into his thigh and he looked over, he was giving him a “please stop” look and Levi picked back up his drink, finishing it. He hated this. He hated having to be nice to people. This was the only perk of not having a family, he didn’t have to appease anyone except himself.

“I think we better get going to the hotel, we’ve had a long day.” Erwin stood, Levi straight after him.

“You’re not going to stay for dessert?” His father asked. 

Erwin shook his head as he helped Levi with his coat, “Not tonight papa, we’ll see you tomorrow.”

As soon as they walked out the front door Levi took out a cigarette from his pocket, “Your Aunt is a bitch.” 

“I know, she’s never been the kindest. My mom hated her. I was looking for an out and it seemed the best one. She would have kept asking questions she doesn’t really have a right to know.” Erwin reached for the cigarette, pulling it from Levi’s fingers taking a drag. 

It was frigid, the tip of his nose growing red as they walked silently to the hotel, passing the cigarette back and forth. 

“What did my father ask you?” Erwin stomped out the bud and offered his arm to Levi who took a look around the empty street before slipping it through. 

“Hmm?”

“When you took you away when I was in the kitchen. What did he tell you?” 

“Oh, that. He was showing me photos of your mom, a few really bad baby photos too.” 

“What?!” 

“I’m kidding, they were all bad.” He looked up at Erwin with a smirk.

Erwin’s hand went to his forehead asking his head, “Oh god, I swear he’s ridiculous.” 

“Ridiculously proud of the man his son has become. He couldn’t stop talking about your accomplishments. Not everyone becomes a professor straight after getting their doctorate degree. Especially at a school like Columbia.” He slowed his step and turned to look up at Erwin, “He also said something else.” 

Erwin couldn’t help as his heart swelled as he looked down at him, the warm glow from the street lamp bathing over them, the tint of red rose on Levi’s nose and cheeks, “What else?” 

“You told him...about us, didn’t you.” 

His swollen heart dropped to his stomach, “I-I-” He stuttered and Levi shook his head.

“It’s okay, I’m not mad. You dad looked so excited when he told me that he knew. I guess my face told him I was less than pleased and he swore up and down he wasn’t going to tell anyone until I came out to the general public.” Erwin felt relieved, lightly cupping his cheek, his hand warming his cold cheek.

“I’m sorry Levi...I couldn’t keep this from him. He actually guessed it and kept questioning.” 

“It’s okay, but no more except for Hange and your dad okay? Anymore people and it can slip out...I’m not ready yet.” 

Erwin nodded, looking around the still empty street to double check before giving him a light quick kiss.

They continued this walk, Erwin taking his hand and interlacing their fingers, Levi pushed up his scarf to cover the lower half of his face as they neared the hotel and the number of people out were growing. His hand left Erwin’s as they neared the hotel entrance, the doorman holding open the door as Levi walked ahead of Erwin. 

Their bags were still left on the floor, half unpacked, as soon as they landed in London, the went to the hotel to shower and immediately over to his fathers home. Levi peeled off his coat, hanging it up in the closet, holding his hand out for Erwin to hand him his coat. Erwin sat on the bed, taking off his dress shoes and undoing the buttons at the bottom of his sleeve staring out in front of him. Levi’s thin waist moved in front of him, bending down to pick out sweats from his bag. A black belt with gold hardware held up his slacks, Erwin’s eyes flickered up his body gave a cunning smile. 

“You look really good tonight.” his hands reached for his waist and pulled him down onto his lap. 

Levi turned to straddle his waist, “Don’t start something I know you can’t finish. You had four drinks.” Erwin’s hand ran up his back down his back, resting in his ass that was straining in his slacks, giving a hard squeeze.

“Oh I can finish.” he quickly pushed Levi down onto the bed, looming over him. Levi arched his back up into him, slotting their legs together, arms wrapping around his neck as Erwin’s tongue assaulted his mouth.

Erwin’s mouth moved down to his neck as his hands pulled out his tucked in shirt, “Take this off.” He mumbled into Levi’s skin. 

Levi quickly pulled up his shirt, sliding it off over his head. The brief darkness he was met with as it slid over, Erwin had already undid Levi’s slacks, pulling them down, taking Levi half way down the bed. 

“I swear to god if you rip this!” Levi tossed his shirt to the side, staring down at Erwin who had a smug grin. 

“It’s not me it’s your fucking thighs!” Erwin tugged on the slacks, finally freeing his muscular legs from their fabric prison. Erwin spread his legs, kissing down his inner thighs. Levi leaned back on his elbows, biting down on his lower lip, watching as Erwin slowly took him into his mouth. 

“Ah fuck…” he head rolled back as he moaned out. Erwin sucked on his cock hungrily, gripping onto his thighs. The noises that came out from his mouth were more lewd than he thought he could make. He grew red up his chest to the tips of his ears, cursing his pale skin in his head as he grew closer. 

“F-Fuck Erwin...I’m not gonna last for you to fuck me if you keep going.” 

Erwin just hummed around him, happily bobbing his head up and down as Levi’s thighs tightened around his head. 

“Erwin I’m a-serious! A-Ah!” Erwin popped off, taking him in his hand slowly stroking up and down, his head diving deeper licking the under part of his balls. Levi’s hand went flying into his hair as his back arched. 

“Oh my god!” That was a first, a first he never wanted to stop. He was getting closer with every cat-like lick, his hand gripping tighter. 

“I’m gonna...fuck,” he breathed, “I’m gonna cum.”

Erwin moved his head back up, taking him all the way down to the back of his throat as his release came. 

“Ahh...ahh…” he hissed as Erwin lifted off of him, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

“I realized halfway through that I am too whiskeyed out to fuck you.” Erwin chuckled, standing up to get a towel from the bathroom 

Levi’s thighs shook, staring up at the ceiling still in bliss. 

He was so whipped.

* * *

_“It’s gonna be okay, I promise it’s gonna be okay.” Isabel was sobbing into his arms, bleeding heavily. With every movement she took, more blood poured out of her abdomen. Levi’s hands were soaked with her blood as he tried to keep the pressure from the metal shard stabbing through his side._

_When he saw the flashing lights behind him and the sound of pouring rain hitting the car, he looked at Isabel who’s eyes were fading away._

_“I’m gonna get us help, I promise. You’re gonna be okay.” he pleaded as her cries quieted._

_When he crawled out of the car and put weight onto his leg he fell down into the mud, he looked down seeing his own bone sticking out through his skin and he screamed. Not only in pain, but the fact he was losing everything._

_There was so much blood, he had lost so much blood._

_“Please! My friends are trapped in there! Please help them!” He cried out as he was lifted away from the scene by police officers sobbing hysterically._

_When he saw Furlan’s lifeless body being evacuated from the vehicle his world stopped. Everything stopped._

_Thunder clapped above and the cries went quiet as he watched Isabel’s body get wrapped in white._

Levi shot up, he was drenched with a cold sweat. He couldn’t breath, he grabbed onto his chest pulling away the fabric of his shirt. Erwin put a hand on his back, but he flinched away, getting out of the bed as the wave of nausea poured into him rushing into the bathroom. Why was he having this nightmare? Why now? Why now when he’s supposed to be having a good time?

The turned on the tap, wetting his face trying to get the images that were burned to the back of his eyelids.

“Levi.” Erwin lightly tapped onto the door, “what happened..” he voice deep with sleep, but worried. 

“I just need a minute...” He stared at his shaking hands, the clear water turning red and the bile rose to the back of his throat. He gagged and dropped down to the toilet, willing his body not to puke. Erwin opened the door, kneeling down next to him, rubbing his back.

“Don’t puke...don’t puke...don’t puke…” Levi repeatedly whispered over and over to himself. 

“Baby...what happened..” 

“I...I can just see her face...there’s so much blood...so much blo-“ His body betrayed him as he gagged, covering his mouth.

Erwin’s arms wrapped around him, holding him tightly as Levi took in a shaky breath, “Don’t think about it, focus on your breathing, focus on me… You’re here, you’re not in the nightmare anymore.” Levi fell back, following Erwin’s deep breathes with his own

“I’m going to get you some water.”

Levi rubbed at his face trying desperately to get the image out of his head. He felt the familiar numbness float across his body as he pulled his knees up to his chest. Erwin walked back into the bathroom, the sound of an opening water bottle made Levi look up. He handed it down to him, leaning back against the counter watching as Levi took slow sips. His breathing was still harsh as he let out small hiccups, grimacing as he could still taste the bile in the back of his throat. 

It took Levi a minute to pull himself off the floor, reaching into his toiletry bag to pull out the travel-size mouthwash. 

“Feel a little better?” Erwin’s hand softly caressed his back. 

He nodded, spitting down the burning blue liquid into the sink, “Yeah...what time is it?” 

“A little past midnight.”

Fuck...too early for him to try to fall right back asleep, “Can you get me one of the sleeping pills? It’s on my side of the bed on the nightstand.”

Erwin gave him a look, raising an eyebrow, “Don’t give me that look, I won’t be able to sleep. It’s only 7pm at home.” 

“Okay, I just don’t want you to be all groggy tomorrow. We have a long day planned.” He walked back out into the room, picking up the orange prescription containing reading the label. He opened up the bottled, shaking out two pills. Levi spit again into the sink, rinsing his mouth out once again. 

“Here.” 

Levi held out his hand as Erwin dropped the two pills into his palm. He tossed them into his mouth, following them with a few sips of water. Erwin left him, crawling back into the bed, opening up the sheets for Levi to come back. 

Levi pulled himself into the bed, Erwin tossed the covers over him, wrapping his arms around him. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Levi shook his head, turning his body into Erwin’s warm chest, his hand lightly scratched at the back of his head to on his undercut. He let out a soft hum, snuggling into him further his eyes fluttering closed. They silently took in each other, Erwin’s hand floating down from his neck to the top of his back, light fingers riding up can down his dips and valleys of his back. 

“Hey Levi…” 

“Hmm..” 

“Not the best way to start it, but Happy Birthday.” There was a light kiss on his forehead, his eyes opened up at half mast, the sleeping pill already taking effect on his body. 

“Thank you…”

“Get some rest.”

He did. Not long after Erwin noticed the heaviness in his arms and Levi’s deeper than normal breathing. He was out. Harder than he’s ever seen him sleep since being able to share a bed with him. 

The grogginess he felt when he opened his eyes made him regret ever wanting to take the pills. He slowly sat up, taking a scan of the room. Erwins side of the bed was pulled up and his pillows were straightened, but there was no noise indicating he was in the hotel room. 

“Water..” his voice was deep, he reached over for the water bottle from the previous night, chugging it down. 

The door opened up and the sound of plastic Rustled against Erwin’s coat. 

“Oh you’re up finally.” 

“What time is it?”

“Nearly ten.” 

Levi groaned flopping back into the pillows, his hair flipped in all directions as he pulled Erwin’s pillows onto his side cuddling them, “I slept for ten hours?”

“Just about, I went out and brought you coffee and a cheese danish.” 

“I never sleep longer than five...at most. There’s a reason I don’t take those often. I wouldn’t get anything done.” His voice faded out as a yawn took over. 

Erwin sat on his side, holding Levi’s coffee, “Drink sleepy.” 

Levi pushed himself onto his elbow, taking his coffee cup. The smell alone was enough for his eyes to open a bit wider. 

“Thank you.”

Erwin gave a small kiss onto his forehead, “Drink your coffee, eat your danish, then shower. We got a lot to do birthday boy.” 

  
  


* * *

Levi wrapped his scarf around his neck to hide himself and to protect himself from the cold chill that blew around them, walking along the pavement past all the Christmas shops. Erwin sipped on hot wine while they walked down the Christmas stalls carrying most of the bags in his other hand. 

“I can carry some of them if you want me too.” 

“No need, can’t let the birthday boy carry all of his gifts.” Erwin winked, nudging him with his elbow. 

A light blush creeped on his cheeks, twenty nine felt weird. When he finally woke up properly after his shower he felt different, an ache of anxiety remained in his chest the entire day. Through lunch with Erwin’s father, through their dinner at an overly priced restaurant that Erwin insisted they go too. When they brought out the cake and he blew out the candles for the last time of his twenties, Erwin took his hand across the table and gave it a squeeze with a look of understanding. 

As he got older, his passion would start to fade in the next decade of his life. If he could even get another decade out of it. His knee had ached the entire day they were walking around, whether it was the cold or just how busted it was from years of training and his injury was past his experience, but it felt strange. 

“You’re spacing out again… what’s on your mind?” Erwin pulled them over to a bench and Levi graciously took to it. 

“I guess I’m just lost in thought...this birthday feels weird.” 

Erwin tossed his cup in a nearby trash can before sitting down next him, a Christmas street singer started playing down the sidewalk on the set up piano. 

“It felt weird l for me too...but I think I can understand why it feels weird for you.” 

His hand unconsciously rubbed on his left knee, “I honestly didn’t think I would be alive this long…” 

Erwin furrowed his brows, his hand hesitantly reaching to circle around him, remembering that they were in public, before putting it down on Levi’s arm. 

“Ten years ago I was so close to just ending it… just...so close. Now I’m doing what Furlan and I loved for a living of all things. Thirty just seems so final, like it’s all coming to an end soon.” 

“You still have fighting years left in you Levi… it’s not as final as you think it is.” 

Levi kept his head down, “You’re right, besides...I have you to come home to after I retire.” When he lifted his head to look up at Erwin, his wet eyes shined with the Christmas lights around them. Erwin gave a soft smile, cupping his cheek.

“Do you want to head back? I know your knee is bothering you.” Levi nodded, removing his hand from his cheek and standing back up, turning his head away from Erwin as he winced. Levi walked off ahead of him, as he gathered up the bags he heard a click of a camera as the Christmas singer changed to the next song. He turned his head seeing a man hiding behind a corner holding up a camera and the flash went off. 

“You coming?” Levi called for him, turning back around catching the flash out of the corner of his eye. His soft face immediately turned into a scowl as he quickly made his way towards the cameraman. 

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing!” He yelled out as the man grabbed his bag and started to run down the street towards the crowd. Levi was about to take off after him before Erwin grabbed his arm holding him back. 

“Get off of me! He took a photo!”

“Levi, he’s already gone! You’re not going to catch him!” 

“Like hell I won’t!” He ripped his arm from Erwin running into the crowd, shoving his way past families and couples making it to the end of the road seeing a black car speeding off. 

“Fuck!” He cursed hitting the side of a brick building with the side of his fist, the click of dress shoes running came behind him. A panting Erwin put his hand on his shoulder. He looked down at his scraped hand sighing.

“Shit...”

* * *

He stayed up all night staring at his phone sitting on the side chair of the hotel room with his knees to his chest. Erwin was the same, laying shirtless down on the bed, scrolling on his phone. Constantly refreshing his Twitter feed waiting for the photo to come up. Levi suddenly got up and silently pulled off his night shirt and pulled on his sweats and a workout shirt. He sat on the bed as he tied on his tennis shoes, his teeth grinding together. 

“It’s two in the morning, what are you doing?”

“I’m going down to the hotel gym...I won’t be long. I just need to do something. I can’t keep staring at my fucking phone waiting for my life to change.” 

He grabbed the hotel key off from the side table and quickly made his way out the door. Erwin sighed, running his hand through his hair staring up at the ceiling, tossing his phone to the side. 

When he walked into the hotel gym and saw the punching bag he nearly breathed a sigh of relief. He needed to hit something and punching a hole in the hotel wall would not be the answer. 

His knuckles were red and raw as he beat his fist into the bag repeatedly letting out curse words. He knew this would happen eventually, but he thought he would have more time to come to terms with it. Even the hope of it being on his own. His phone buzzed in the corner and he just hit the bag harder. Not noticing as tears poured out of his eyes mixing with his sweat dripping on the floor. 

“You stupid son of a bitch!” His shoulders were burned, his knee ached as he kicked it as hard as he could and the bag rocked back touching the side of the wall. 

“You fucking coward!” He screamed at himself, throwing his hand into the bag, there was an audible crunch and he fell against the bag holding himself up. His breathing was ragged, he slid down to his knees wiping away at his eyes looking down at his hands. 

His phone buzzed again, Pyxis’ name highlighting the caller ID and his stomach dropped. His shaking hand reached for his phone, putting it up to his ear. 

“Hello?” His voice cracked, he cleared his throat to try again, “Hello?”

“You have something to tell me, Ackerman?”

* * *

Their week was cut short, Pyxis demanded he come back to the states immediately for damage control. Threatening his contract if he didn’t. His name was everywhere, trending on social media, on news outlets. 

“First Gay UFC Fighter, Levi Ackerman”

“Closeted Fighter in London with Boyfriend” 

“Ackerman Caught with Man!” 

They were on a plane the next morning, Erwin apologizing to his father through the phone as they walked to the entrance of the airport. There was a crowd of people standing around, all of them having cameras and his stomach sank. This was it, this was going to be his life for the next week. 

As soon as one of the press caught his eye they all surrounded him, Erwin hung up his phone and held onto Levi’s shoulder. Levi buried himself, trying to hide as much as possible as flashes went off right in front of his face. There was no sense in hiding this now, he hid his face into Erwin’s side as they quickly were met by security and escorted to the check-in area.

It was the same in New York, he held up the collars of his coat to hide as security that Pyxis provided for him escorted them out of the airport. The hours that they were in the air, the internet was able to find out everything about the “mystery man” he was with. They found Erwin’s profession and place of work. Even old photos of them in college and ex girlfriends of his spoke to the press. 

The security guards ushered them into a black SUV as paperazzi yelled at them to ask them questions, as soon as the door slammed behind them and the car took off, Levi broke down. Not in a crying, sobbing hysterical way. He was silent as he stared holes into the floor of the SUV. His head was running a million miles per hour. His conversation with Pyxis was so short he could tell if he was angry, he sounded angry, at least that’s what his head was telling him. 

“Levi…” Erwin put his hand on his shoulder, “Levi… Hange is telling me that most of the things being said online are positive.” 

Levi shook his head, “Of course people are going to say it’s positive, they’re not fans of the UFC. It's different, go actually look at my page and see what people are saying. I did and it’s not all fucking rainbows.” 

Erwin flipped to his Twitter and typed in Levi’s name, underneath his recent tweet was a surplus of slurs and death threats. Telling him to retire. To die. The whole brunt of it. Every single crud thing you can think of was written. 

The car dropped Erwin off at the apartment with their items, Erwin cupped his cheek standing outside of the car, “It's going to be okay… I’ll see you when you get home.” 

Levi nodded, he felt the burning in his eyes as Erwin leaned in and kissed him slowly, the driver raising an eyebrow at them through the mirror. 

Levi rolled back up the window, watching Erwin walk up the steps with their luggage as the doorman opened the entrance for him. The car pulled away, heading towards Pyxis New York office. 

His phone buzzed, Mike, he raised it up to his ear, “Hi..” 

“I’ll be on the conference call when you get there… I’m supporting you, I can’t say much about Kenny, but I 100% have you back in his okay, kid?” 

The burning behind his eyes increased and he pinched the bridge of his nose, “I feel sick.” 

“You’re going to be fine, I already contacted PR to get ahold of Pyxis and start damage control, I’ll see you in a minute.” With that Mike hung up and Levi dropped his phone onto his lap covering his eyes. 

When he got to the door of Pyxis office, he lightly tapped with his still raw knuckles and opened the door. Kenny was sitting down, leaning casually against one of the chairs, turning his body around. The look that Kenny gave him made him feel like a child, staring back at his mother when he punched a kid at school for making fun of her bald head. 

“Levi, sit down.” Pyxis sat behind his desk with his arms across his chest. 

Levi pulled out the chair, sitting down, his hands gripped his knees, unable to look at his coach or Pyxis in the eye. He could hear Mike clear his throat on the speakerphone on the desk. 

“Do you want to see the photo?” Pyxis started. 

He shook his head, “No sir, I already have.”

They published the photo of Erwin cupping his cheek, eyes wet and shining as they smiled at each other. His soft side shattering his tough persona he’s worked on building with the public eye. 

“Okay, well...we need to figure out a plan for you. I already spoke to the committee and it’s been a 50/50 split on what we need to do. Half of them are supportive. The other half are telling me to terminate your contract.” 

He could have sworn his heart had stopped, “Pyxis he didn’t do anything wrong!” Mike started, “He’s been nothing but loyal to you and the company. Should I pull out the spreadsheet and show you how much money he’s made yo-“ 

“Mike that’s enough!” Kenny yelled.

“I will not, no way in hell am I going to let you terminate his contract without a lawsuit. This is discriminatory!”

“I never said I was going to terminate his contract.” Pyxis spoke over Mike, his head snapped up looking at Pyxis in the eyes. 

The older man smiled, “I can’t give up my greatest fighter just because he loves someone.” 

“But..Pyxis…” Levi muttered out, his eyes burning. He’s never been on the brink of tears this much in his life. 

“Mike, I spoke to your PR team you presented this morning. As one of his manager I expect you to pull out all the stops on the press release and fly out to New York tonight. We’ll have a conference tomorrow with news and interviews. But, this is all your decision, Levi. We can either deny this, or you can come out.” 

His head was spinning, this was all happening far too quickly.

“Listen, kid.” Kenny looked over at him, “This will change everything. You might not fight certain people because of the fact your gay. They might pull out. Stupid of them, but getting your ass kicked by a homosexual isn’t the way people want to go out.”

“Ah, fuck them.” Mike cursed. 

“I already spoke to Jaegers team and they’re still on for the fight.” Pyxis stated. 

Levi nodded, “I don’t want to hide anymore… Pyxis, I’m so sorry for keeping this from you. And I apologize for you having to find out from the press. I wanted to tell you myself. I wanted all of this to be on my terms.” His fists tightened against his knees, “They stole that chance from me...all because I got recognized…” 

“Well, that’s not how this world works unfortunately. I’m not angry if that’s what you’re afraid of. I’m proud of you for breaking the norm of the UFC.” 

Kenny looked over at Pyxis confused, “Huh? What do you mean old man?” 

“I’ve only seen a few fighters get to the top as much as Levi has, you included Kenny. You should be proud of the fighter you raised. You three owe me a nice dinner when all of this is over.”

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys, this was a long one. hope you enjoyed.


	9. chapter nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im emotional.

Mike was standing in front of Levi fixing his tie, both of them had somber looks in their eyes, Levi’s puffy from breaking down last night. Levi sniffled and cleared his throat, still congested from his cry fest he eventually let out. 

Mike had just walked through the door at two in the morning from his flight, Levi was sitting on the couch with his head in his hands, Erwin sitting next to him rubbing up and down his back. Mike dropped his bag near the front rushing past Hange who opened the door for him and dropped down in front of Levi moving his hands. 

“Hey, I’m here now, it's gonna be okay.” Mike watched as his lower lip trembled, seeing the same 18-year-old who had come to him so broken and lost. Mike took him into his arms and Levi lost all control he had on his sobs. 

Mike looked up at Erwin who had the same worried expression as him, “What happened?” He mouthed and Erwin just shook his head. 

“Levi, why are you crying so hard? This isn’t like you.” 

His head had tormented him the entire day, he’d spent most of the afternoon locked in his room before taking out a small box filled with photos he hadn’t touched in years. Photos from Isabel’s camera that he got developed shortly after her death. Hundreds of photos of the three of them together, their trip together to New York to look at Columbia their junior year, Furlan winning at his karate tournament, Isabel and Levi standing next to him holding the trophy all of them smiling so bright. Levi’s sixteen birthday, surrounded by gifts sitting by the tree and Mrs. Church sitting down in the back. He held that one to his chest as he picked through the others, coming to the bottom seeing the photo of him as a baby and his mother holding him in front of the house he was born in.

“I miss them…” Levi choked out, his shoulders shaking, “I miss them so much…” 

Mike finished adjusting his tie and patted his shoulders, “You’re gonna be fine.” Mike took him into his arms hugging him tightly. 

“I know...I just feel a lot right now.” 

“Ready guys?” Hange called out from the doorway of the apartment. Levi broke away from Mike’s embrace and picked up his coat from the back of the couch, pulling it on. Warm hands gripped onto his sides of his arms, he looked up seeing Erwin’s smiling face looking down at him.    
  


“Ready?” 

He gave a small nod and the four of them were out the door. 

* * *

Mike’s team scratched the idea of a press conference, the idea of so many people asking him questions gave him too much anxiety. They went with an interview with one of the biggest news companies in the US about what would be able to be controlled in case he slipped up. Mike was able to get a hold of the interview questions on his red-eye flight to New York and after his breakdown last night they went over them. Running on no sleep, his hands constantly shaking, he sipped on a cup of coffee one of the news interns gave to him as the makeup artists made him look slightly more alive. 

“Mr. Ackerman?” 

His head snapped up towards the voice and he was greeted with a warm smile and a woman with her red hair in a short bob, “My name is Petra Ral, I’ll be conducting the interview today.” She stuck her hand out and he smiled slightly shaking it. 

“Nice to meet you.” 

“I may not look like the average fan, but I’ve been watching UFC since I was a kid because of my father. I’m a huge fan. Mind if we chat to get more comfortable with each other?” 

“Not at all, I’m shitting bricks if I’m being honest.” 

She chuckled, sitting down in the other makeup chair across from him, “I already spoke to your support system outside. They already told me how big of a deal this is for you. You got some great friends out there.” 

Levi smiled, “I do, I love them. They’ve gotten me out of my darkest places.” 

“That’s sweet, well, are you ready to begin?” She stood out of the chair and Levi stood up following after her. The cameras were all set up, the lights were too bright and he stopped, his stomach falling.

“Hey…” He snapped up looking at Erwin who was smiling softly, “You’re gonna do great.” He looked behind them seeing Hange and Mike smiling. Erwin leaned down giving him a quick kiss. 

“Thank you,” Levi whispered against his lips. Levi walked up to the set, taking his chair across from Petra who was fixing her hair. His body language was anxious, fidgeting with his thumbs, picking at the skin.    
  
“Levi!” Mike called out, he could barely see him because of the lighting, he motioned to his shoulder and brought his hands to his center. Levi took a deep breath, relaxing his shoulders. 

“Three.” 

This was it. 

“Two.” 

This was finally his time. 

“One.”    
  


To be true to himself.

“Hello everyone, I’d like to welcome you to XX News tonight at 6 pm. My name is Petra Ral. The last 48 hours have been nothing but talk about UFC Fighter Levi Ackerman in London with an alleged boyfriend of his. The photo circling the internet has taken people by storm, a touching moment between lovers, and on Mr. Ackermans birthday of all days. Being that no one in the UFC is out as gay, there have been lots of mixed reactions from his fans. Tonight I have nonother than Levi Ackerman himself in an exclusive interview his team had set up with us. Levi, it’s nice having you here tonight.”

“Thank you. I’m happy to be here tonight.” Suddenly he felt calm, his hands stopped fidgeting, his leg stopped shaking. 

“You haven’t said anything to the press, so I feel like the first thing that we should get out of the way and not beat around the bush, are you gay?” 

“Yes.” 

“Before joining the UFC?” Petra and he kept their eye contact and Levi slowly relaxed more.

“Yes, but I never had a relationship before being in the UFC.” 

“You joined at 18, almost 19, many people are in the same boat. Did you have private relationships before the one you are in now?” 

Levi shook his head, “Nothing like this, my goal was to become the best fighter I possibly could be, I didn’t have time for relationships.” 

“But you do now?”    
  
“It took a lot of convincing, you can’t just drag me out of the dojo easily.” They both chuckled lightly. 

Hange grabbed onto Erwin’s arm looking up at him, his eyes were wet as he grabbed onto Hange’s hand, “Erwin,” They whispered, “You’re crying.” 

“I’m just so proud of him,” Erwin whispered back and Hange’s face fell, tearing up as well. 

“You two better not cry, you’re gonna make me c-cry.” They snapped their heads up at Mike who wiped away at his face. Hange busted out a silent laugh, covering their mouth. 

“Mike…” Erwin whispered, “You got him to today… if he didn’t find you we wouldn’t be standing here.” 

Mike covered his face, a small sob racking his body, all three of them came together in a hug. They stayed like that for a minute, trying to quiet themselves not to disturb the interview. They all looked up when they heard Levi laugh and his cheeks turned red. 

“I know none of us got to meet Isabel or Furlan, or Mrs. Church...but I really hope that they’re proud of him as much as we are,” said Hange. 

“I’m sure that they are,” said Mike. 

“Well, Levi, for other people that are aspiring to be like you, children that look up to you, what do you want to say to them.” 

Levi wetted his lips, looking down at the floor, “I want to say that, it took a long time for me to be comfortable being who I am, and that’s only because of the work that I do. It’s my passion, so whatever your passion is, don’t let people’s opinions form you into something you’re not. Just because it’s not normal for someone else, doesn’t mean it’s not normal for you. You are your normal.” 

Petra smiled, “That was very good, with that statement you might have more UFC fans come in just to watch you.” 

“The more the merrier.” 

* * *

“Levi the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive!” The four of them were sitting around a table at a Korean BBQ place near their apartment. Hange was on their phone soon after the interview aired later that night, watching as comments poured in. 

Levi poured another shot of soju for himself, throwing his head back, hiccuping afterward, “That’s great Hange.” His cheeks were already red, the redness flowing down his chest from the alcohol. Mike was no better, leaning his head back against the booth. That's what they get for trying to see who could drink more, to be fair, Levi thought he was winning. 

“I need a cigarette,” said Levi, pushing himself out of the booth, stumbling forward, Erwin catching his arm to keep him from stumbling. 

“Can you even walk?” Erwin laughed. 

“Fuck you, yes I can walk.”

“He can’t walk, barely knows how to fight,” Mike grumbled from the corner. 

“Excuse me?!” Levi slurred, “I’ll take your ass down right here!” 

Mike put up his napkin waving it frantically, “I surrender. I was kidding. Please don’t hurt me.” 

Erwin laughed, wrapping his arm around Levi’s waist to take them outside, Levi patted his waist pockets, letting out a whine thinking he forgot them inside. The cotton filter pressed against his teeth and the flame lit right in front of him. Erwin cupped his hand over their cigarettes lighting both of them. 

“Lean against the wall before you stumble into the subway.” 

Levi leaned back against the brick building, taking the cigarette out of his mouth, blowing the smoke up towards the sky, “How do you feel?” 

“Like a giant weight has been lifted...Please tell your dad that I’m sorry that we left so quickly.” 

Erwin nodded, “I called him not long ago, he got a screaming phone call from my Aunt after the photo came out. Needless to say, they aren’t on speaking terms.” 

“I still think your Aunt is a bitch.” 

Erwin chuckled lightly, flicking his cigarette to ash it, “You know what I’m excited about?” 

“Hmm?” Levi’s head rolled forward looking up at Erwin who cupped his cheek. 

“I can kiss you all I want now.” Erwin tilted his chin upwards, taking his lips onto his, Levi dropped his cigarette, the alcohol making his head swim as he embraced Erwin into him, pulling his body closer. 

“Are you two ready to go?” Hange was out of the door, a stumbling Mike hanging onto their side, “Oh god, stop sucking face and let’s get a cab!” 

Erwin waved them off, “We’re gonna walk home, Hange, it’s not that far.”

“Suit yourself, I’m not dragging mister drunk here three blocks.” Hange raised their hand and a cab pulled to the side, dragging both of them into the cab. 

Levi’s hand snaked down Erwin’s arm, interlacing their hands together. Erwin took it one step further, looping his arm around to rest around his shoulders, keeping their hands locked together. 

“Look what I found earlier, well, I knew where they were but I haven’t looked at them in years.” Levi pulled out the photo from his pocket handing it over to him. 

Erwin took the photo, a smile instantly came to his face as he saw how happy Levi looked even with Isabel hanging on him kissing his cheek and Furlan pouncing on his back. 

“God, you don’t age do you?” Erwin joked looking down at him and his eyes flickering back and forth from him and the photo, “Oh wait, I do see some aging.” 

“Huh?” Levi cupped his own face, stopping in his tracks, “Where?” 

Erwin stood in front of him and poked him right in the center of his forehead, “You scowl too much, you should smile more, like in this photo.” he held it up in front of him and Levi snatched it away. 

Erwin chuckled, putting his arm back around Levi’s shoulders, “How old were you in the photo?” 

  
“God, probably fifteen. Seems so long ago.” The walking was helping him sober up a bit more, but he still leaned onto Erwin as they strolled along.

As they walked back into their neighborhood, Levi was looking up at the skyscrapers with a small smile on his face. 

“Jolie…” He whispered. 

Erwin held him closer, “Hey, I don’t think I’ve ever asked you, I know you Minored in French in college, but you seemed fluent before. Who taught you?” 

“My mom is French, she taught me. When I was in foster care, there was a woman that took me in who was French, she didn’t want me to lose the language. So one of the top priorities for someone to adopt me, they needed to enroll me in French classes. Mrs. and Mr. Church were all for it since Mr. Church was born in France like my mom, Furlan and I went together, that’s how we met Isabel actually, then she transferred over schools that year to be with us. Teachers hated us, we would never speak English, pretend that we had no idea what they were saying.” 

Erwin watched with shining eyes as Levi got lost in his story, opening up to him. 

“We would pretend to not know English to get cigarettes in high school, we said that we would one day all just move to France and live together in some cottage outside of Paris, well, Isabel wanted the cottage, Furlan and I wanted to stay in the city.” 

“You’ve been to Paris haven’t you?” 

Levi nodded, “During my third-ranked fight, I was 20, I took both of their ashes with me, Mike came with me and we scattered them, Furlan’s in the Saint Martin Canal, definitely illegal. I’ve told you that Isabel was a painter, she loved Vincent Van Gogh, so the day after the fight we took the train to Pontoise and walked the same fields that he did near the Chateau d’Auvers. It was so beautiful, she would have loved it…” 

Levi grew quiet as they neared the apartment building, his smile remained as he was lost in his memory. 

“Erwin?” he looked down, Levi was looking up at him with a look of nervousness on his face. 

“Yes?” 

“Thank you, for everything, and for being so understanding, you're just so kind and thoughtful and patient.”

“Are you trying to say you’re in love with me?” Erwin teased. 

“I’ve been in love with you…” 

Erwin brought him into his arms, kissing him slowly, his arms circled around his waist dipping him back. Levi wrapped his arms around Erwin’s neck smiling against his lips getting completely lost in the moment. 

“Woooooo!” Someone yelled from down the block, Levi blushed hard, hiding his face in Erwin’s chest, Erwin looked up seeing the doorman to their apartment building clapping and laughing at them. 

* * *

He had one week left until his fight with Jaeger, he had left for California to finish training with Mike a few days prior, dragging a grumpy Kenny and overly excited Hange with him. Erwin had to stay in New York, being the start of the new semester he was cramped into his office for most of the day working on the timeline for exams and homework.

“Again,” Kenny yelled out. 

Levi swung his leg upwards, spinning his kick around at the raised target Mike held up. 

“Again.” 

He repeated the combo over and over, his accuracy increasing with each kick, Mike’s smile growing wider watching the determination in his face. When he came down from the jump, his knee buckled underneath him and he fell onto the ground onto his hands and knees.

“Fuck!” 

Hange was sitting on their computer typing away with a textbook next to them when they heard Levi curse and the thump against the mat. They tossed their laptop to the side when they saw Levi holding onto his knee and Mike hovering over him. 

“What happened?” 

  
“I don’t know, it just gave out, but now it's stinging.” Levi tossed his head back against the mat, holding his knee. Hange moved his hands away, taking his knee to manipulate it, making him lay it flat. 

“Tell me when it hurts.” They pressed with their thumbs to check if he had torn something, when they pressed just underneath the knee cab he hissed. 

“Th-there.” 

“I think you need another cortisone shot, it’s been almost only two months since your last one. It should have lasted six…” 

“Fuck it hurts…” Levi cursed, sitting up wiping away the sweat on his forehead. 

Kenny strolled over, picking off lint from his hat, “No more today, head back to the house. Hange, do what he needs to do to recover,” said Kenny, putting on his hat and walking out of the dojo. 

“Levi, has it been bothering you more lately?” asked Mike. 

“Yeah, it’s never been this bad before, I don’t know what’s been aggravating it so much.” 

“I think we should get some MRI’s done after the fight, I don’t think you tore anything, but I think the nerve damage you have in there could be causing flare-ups. I brought the extra cortisone shot just in case. We’ll do it after you shower, can you stand?” Hange let out their hand to help Levi up. 

“Yeah,” He took their hand getting to his feet, limping heavily over to his bag. Hange and Mike shared a worried look as they watched him put back on his shoes. 

After they arrived home and he showered, Hange had him lay on the bed, prepping for the cortisone shot. Erwin had a free hour and FaceTime called the two of them in the middle of this, watching through his computer screen in his office. 

“Pinch.” Hange took the back of his knee to stabilize it. 

Levi’s eyes tightened, gripping onto the pillow, he could feel the needle going into his joint, the burning pain intensifying, then a rush of numbness came over his whole leg. 

  
“Better?” 

“Y-Yeah...” 

“Ow.” Erwin winced as he watched through the computer screen. 

“I’m gonna put the tape down your knee for extra support, I want you to fight with this too, we can’t have your knee buckle like that again during the fight,” said Hange as they peeled back the sticky tape, applying it to his leg. 

“It’s been bothering you since your birthday hasn’t it?” Hange asked. 

“It was bugging me on my birthday, but nothing like this.” 

“When do you guys fly out to Vegas?” Erwin asked. 

“Monday, tomorrow morning. Levi has a press conference that evening with the fighters, then we start weight cutting. The final weigh-in is on Wednesday at 9 am.” 

“How do you feel, honey?” 

Levi was silent for a moment, his eyes were covered by his arm as Hange carefully applied the tape, “Nervous...” 

“Nervous?” Erwin questioned. 

“I’m kind of afraid I’ll get injured, my knee hasn’t acted like this so close to a competition.” 

Hange looked up at him with a worried expression and back at Erwin on the laptop shaking their head, “Don’t speak things into the universe like that.” 

* * *

Levi took his place in the press conference, the cameras flashing around him as he sat down, Pyxis let fans sit in on this one, trying to get the hype up even more. More than 500 people sat in the conference room, the lights were too bright to see any of the audience, but he could see a handful of rainbow flags flying as he adjusted his seat, crossing his arms across his chest. There was a tap on his shoulder and he turned around seeing Reiner smiling behind him at his table. 

“Hey man, how’s it going!” 

“Hey!” Levi smiled, shaking his hand, “I didn’t know Pyxis added a Heavyweight to the card.” 

“Last minute, just happened last week, if you need help on Friday before the fight Zeke is here and he told me to ask you.” 

“I’d be happy to join in.” 

“By the way, I’m super happy for you. You look a lot happier.” 

Levi gave the blonde a smile, “Thank you.” 

The fans started hollering, Levi furrowed his brows turning in his chair. There he was, the cocky, young, son of a bitch taking his seat at the table next to his. Eren caught his eye as he slowly sat down in his chair, both of them scowling at each other. The tension in the conference room grew and Pyxis just smiled watching them. 

Eren tied back up his long hair, not taking his eyes off from Levi, his thick German accent coming out as he spoke into the mic, “How are you,  _ Di Tunte _ ?” 

“The fuck does that even mean?” 

“I think you Americans say, fag?” 

Levi nearly jumped out of his seat, Reiner swiftly reaching across the table holding his shoulders back down. The fans went nuts at his reaction, he clenched his teeth together, his fists tightening under the table. 

“Watch your mouth rookie.” 

“I didn’t get to fight you for no reason, Ackerman.”

“Keep running your damn mouth and it’ll be your last.” 

“Could be yours, time to retire old man…” 

Reiner’s hands came down on his shoulders as a precaution a moment too late as they both out in each other's faces, fists drawn back. Chaos broke as Eren was the first to throw a punch, Levi swiftly leaning backward to avoid it. Before he could retaliate back, Pyxis came in the middle of them, Levi being pushed back by Reiner to his table. 

  
“I’m gonna kill him, I’m gonna fucking kill him!” 

“Save it for Saturday!” Reiner locked his arm into place as the crowd quieted down from their outburst and Pyxis picked up the microphone. 

“Now boys, both you need to save it for Saturday when everyone can watch at 7 pm EST on the UFC network!” 

Levi rolled his eyes at the plug, he could feel his teeth grinding together, he was seething. He hasn’t been this angry at an opponent in a long time. Fighters that tried to compete against him always had mutual respect. This was different, he wanted blood. 

* * *

“Levi…” Hange snapped their fingers in front of his face, his sunken eyes looked up at them, his mouth opened and Hange poured water into his mouth. This was the worst weight cut he’s had in years. He struggled the entire time, almost fainting three times when standing in the sauna, Mike having to catch him and sit him down. 

“I’m okay.” he lied as leaned against the elevator wall as they headed to the final weigh-in. 

“I can’t give you an IV afterward because of the new rules, just stay with us for a little bit longer.” 

  
Levi nodded, as soon as the doors opened he walked out first, Kenny and Mike keeping a hold on his shoulders. His head felt detached from the rest of his body as they walked back into the conference room from earlier in the week, now set up as weight in. Reiner was getting off of the stage, immediately taking his water from Zeke to rehydrate himself. 

“And now for the Featherweight Championship, first up Eren Jaeger, 135 weight goal.” said the announcer. Eren walked up onto the stage, his sister following behind him, taking his hoodie and sweats, leaving him in his fighting shorts. 

“Weight made, 135.6.” Eren flexed his arms as the cameras went off before exiting off the stage.

“Ackerman, Undefeated Featherweight Champion for three years.” 

Hange followed him up to take his hoodie and sweats from him, he tried to stop the shaking in his legs as he stood up onto the scale.

“Weight made, 135.6” 

Levi could finally breathe, taking back his hoodie from Hange, his body was shaking from how cold he was, his skin was clammy and pale. The first step off the stage he wobbled and Mike took his arm, quickly moving him away from prying eyes and outside of the conference hall. Levi slid down the wall panting heavily, Hange opened up his mouth slowly pouring in the water-filled with electrolytes and vitamins. 

  
“Slow sips, breath, you’re okay, we’ll get food into you in a minute.” Mike rubbed his back, Levi finally grabbed the water from Hange and forced himself to slowly drink. 

“Kenny, if I win this thing, I’m going up a fucking weight class.” Levi’s head shook as he looked up at him, taking a drink. 

“When you win is a better term,” Kenny smirked. 

* * *

Levi was sitting cross-legged on his hotel bed, a towel on his head from his shower and typing on his laptop, Hange was already curled up reading a medical journal book on theirs. 

The FaceTime ring echoed in the hotel room and he smiled quickly answering it, Erwin’s face coming up on his screen. 

“Hi, baby!” Erwin gleamed, he looked to still be in his office at the university. 

“Hi, are you still working?” 

“I am, all these add codes and setting up for the semester is taking up a lot of my time. I wish I could be there with you, I just have too much to do.” 

“You would make a better rooming buddy than Hange.” He glanced over smiling at their silent glare before going back to their book. 

“I had a thousand questions today about you from my students.” 

“About me?” Levi tilted his head. 

“I guess we are quite the talk around here, several of those frat houses are having a watch party for your fight tomorrow night I guess.”

“Huh, how funny, well I am dating one of the hottest professors at the school. All the girls must be destroyed that their chance to get an A has now diminished.” 

“One, I would never. Two, yes, some of them did express concerns about my sexuality.” 

Levi laughed lightly, picking back up the side from the side and placing it on his knee. 

“How are you feeling? Excited? Nervous? I remember you telling me that you were worried, hopefully that thought has changed.” 

“My knee isn’t bugging me as much as it was earlier in the week, so that’s giving me a bit more confidence.” 

“Good, well, I wanted to say hello, I have no idea when I’ll get back to the apartment, so don’t wait up for a call, I’ll text you when I get home okay?” 

“Okay, get home safely please.”

“I will, goodnight Levi.” 

* * *

Levi has his headphone over his ears, bouncing back and forth in the warm-up area, his fists tapping into the punching bag to warm up his muscles. He rolled his wrists and shook out his arms, his eyes glancing up at the camera that had been following him around. 

He rolled through a few of his favorite combos for the camera, rolling his neck getting a good pop out of it. 

He stared up at the TV watching the rerun of Reiner’s knockout that happened only moments ago. The buzzing group of blondes came back through the warm-up area, Zeke smiled at him to wave and Levi gave a quick nod to acknowledge him trying to maintain his focus. 

His face turned into a smile as the next  [ song ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmXWkMlKFkI&ab_channel=MotleyCrueVEVO) changed over, mouthing the words as he stretched out his shoulders. 

“Ready to go, kid?” Kenny stood in front of him. Levi popped up and nodded taking off his headphones.

“Yeah, let’s go.” His whole body was buzzing with excitement as he stood at the doors, he could hear the crowd screaming at the introduction videos of the two of them being shown. Hange peaked out of the doorway, immediately covering their mouth looking at Levi. 

“W-what? Don’t look at me like that, what’s going on?” Levi suddenly felt a sense of panic, this was his first fight being out. 

“Hange what did you see?” 

(mood for this  [ scene ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7-4IZyNUtA&ab_channel=JerichoHill) )

Erwin sat on the couch at home with a bowl of popcorn and already a few beers down on the couch. The cameras started to pan over the crowd, and his brows furrowed as he saw flashes of the rainbow coming over the crowd.

“What the fuck?” He watched as thousands of people held up pride flags and signs of support, one of the cameras zooming on one that read, “True Fans Are Here For You!”

“Holy shit…” Erwin muttered, goosebumps coming over his whole body as the crowd started to sing Levi’s introduction song.

“Tell me what you saw Hange!” Levi yelled about to grab their shoulder, as soon as the security guards opened the door and his mouth dropped, finally seeing what Hange saw. His hand covering his mouth.

“Well, I’ll be damned…” Kenny whispered out his eyes scanning across the arena. 

“Looks like you have some supporters Levi!” Mike slapped his shoulder, pushing him to make the walk forward. 

Cloud nine couldn’t explain how he felt in his moment, a flag was thrown onto him as he walked out of the tunnel, he pulled it off, wrapping it around his shoulders looking up at the fan that was dressed in full drag, “You own this place, baby! Go kick some ass!” 

Erwin watched as the camera kept on Levi’s face, his eyes growing wet as he walked to get his gloves checked, “Oh baby, don’t cry, not now. Cry later.” He wiped away his own tears that came to his eyes. 

He handed the flag to Hange, “Don’t lose this, I’m keeping this.” Hange’s smile never left as he handed his hoodie and his sweats over to them, turning to get the grease applied to his face. 

Levi hopped up the stairs after the safety questions, meeting the referee in the middle, staring at Jaeger with a glare that could kill. 

“Faggot has some friends, Jaeger.” Levi mocked. 

Eren scoffed, rolling his eyes, “Won’t for long, not after I kick your ass.” 

“Ladies and Gentleman from around the world. It’s time for a UFC fight between Jaeger and Ackerman!” The announcer hung on his name as they stared down at each other from across the octagon. The crowd went nuts. 

“Gentleman, fight clean, listen to my commands at all times, have respect, you may touch gloves now at this time.” 

Neither of them went to tap gloves, just turned and waited in their corners for the bell. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> writing this at 4 in the morning because I couldn't sleep and its shark week made me start crying. I'm a whole fucking mess. next chapter is the fight! I'm already at 6500k words, I might split it into two, not super sure just yet. I had that whole last scene in my head since the beginning of this story. I'm tempted to write a one-shot on trios adventures on visiting Columbia, prior to them dying, all three of them promised to get into the same school. levi kept that promise and continued to go to college for them while being in the state of depression he was. Mike saved him by getting him back into karate and giving him another outlet. that's why they are so close. I'm crying again. 
> 
> thanks for reading again guys!


	10. chapter ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry.

When the bell rang at the for the first round, Eren came straight after him. Levi kept his guard up, watching him with careful eyes. The first kick that Eren gave him connected straight onto his left leg. He came back with a fake right, connecting with his left straight into his side. Eren colidated into him, pressing him against the fence. 

“Oh come on, don’t keep him pinned the whole time you coward!” Kenny yelled out. 

“Head position!” Mike yelled from his corner, “Don’t let him get head position.” Levi’s eyes locked with his corner, his hands were pinned between their bodies, Levi was barely able to free his arm, locking his arm against Eren’s shoulder, japping his elbow repeatedly into the side of his head against his ear. His face was already going red, biting down onto his mouth piece as Eren’s foot stomped into his. His leg circled around his bad knee, taking him down swiftly to the mat. Levi was able to easily flip the switch, throwing him into the guard position on top, locking his legs around Eren’s torso in a body triangle. 

“Get his arm up!” 

Eren’s elbow connected with his chin, forcing Levi to let go of his arm he hand pinned against the canvas. His strength took him by surprise as he was able to slide them up near the fence, Eren’s struggling made him loose his grip he had with the body triangle and Eren slipped out standing against the fence, he moved quickly to get up, his fist connecting twice underneath Eren’s jaw as he got to his feet. As he backed away, Eren’s leg came flying straight towards his head and he backed off by meer inches. 

He tilted his head to the side with a smirk, “You little shit.” He taunted. 

He could hear the clap for ten seconds till the end of the round, Eren was already breathing hard from the pressure Levi put on his ribs, he was barely breaking a sweat. 

He motioned his hand for him to come after him, Eren glared as Levi came forward, faking him out, landing one after the other straight into Eren’s face, making Eren guard himself backing up and getting cornered against the fence. 

The bell rang for the first round and there was already blood dripping down onto the canvas from Eren’s nose. Levi walked to this corner, Hange, Kenny and Mike already in making him sit down. Hange’s gloved hands removed his mouthguard and squirted water into his mouth. 

“You’re way faster than him and more accurate.” 

Mike handed him the towel and he wiped his face, “Watch out for his leg kicks, you did a good job tiring him out with the grappling, if you get knocked down again he’s not that strong, use that as an advantage.” 

“Don’t be afraid to use your legs, how is your knee feeling?” 

“Fine.” he was short, taking more water from Hange as they reapplied the grease onto his forehead. 

He stood back up shortly before the end of the rest period was over with his hands on his hips, the referee looked at him for confirmation and he nodded. Round two. One more to go. 

“He’s really confident tonight, his reach is insane with the combos he’s throwing. I don’t think Jaeger knew this was coming.” Mike watched intensely as the two danced around each other, Eren’s nose continuously dripping from the break Levi caused in the first round. 

“If he gets too cocky, he’ll let his guard down.” Kenny had his hand under his chin. 

The entire crowd “ohhh’d” as Eren fist grazed his eyebrow, the friction causing a split that immediately started to drip blood. 

“Hange we got a bleeder.” Mike called out and Hange immediately started to get their supplies ready for the next break. 

That hit only made Levi angier, the harder he punched the more Eren guarded up. His leg went flying into Eren’s side for a liver kick, as he spun back around he felt his knee give out. He quickly changes his stance to protect it. Too focused on the pain he didn’t see Eren kick out straight into the side of his left knee, making his knee buckle down, completely catching him off guard. As he fell, Eren took the chance and pinned him down. The pain that raised from his knee made him completely lose his breath as Eren’s knee drove straight into the back of his thigh, effectively keeping him down on the mat. Levi pushed himself up, able to get a brief window to escape. As he rolled out, Eren captured his leg with his arm and flipped them over, his knee caught in the pressure of the knee bar Eren was trying to pull on him. He felt a tear and hot flash of white burst over his vision. He was saved by the bell, the referee dragging Eren off of him. He coughed out the trapped air in his lungs, rolling on his side to get up, wincing. He dragged himself over to his corner and slid down against the cage clutching his knee. 

“Go, go, go, Hange!” Mike pushed them forward to get into the ring as fast as possible. 

Hange was quick to kneel down next to him, quickly pressed the cold block of steel above his eye that was bleeding down onto his cheek and took out his mouthguard.

“M-my knee, something tore. I can’t feel my leg.” Levi spoke out between ragged breaths, Mike stared at him with worry as Hange attempted to bend lift his knee to bend it and he cursed out grabbing onto the cage behind him. 

“I won’t know what’s wrong with it until we’re done, can you still fight? If you need me to call it I will.” Hange poured water into his mouth and he shook his head. 

“No, no I’m not stopping.” 

“Levi, we can call it if you’re seriously injured,” Kenny warned and Levi shook his head grabbing onto the cage to stand up, the referee ushered the rest of the crew back out of the ring and Hange watched as Levi took his first step, cringing in pain. 

“Fuck, Kenny this isn’t good. That kneebar did him in… We should have called it.” 

  
Kenny rubbed his face with worry as the bell rang for the final round, both fighters were bruised, Levi coming out the better of the two. Eren has a gash below his eye that was swelling up and his nose had finally stopped bleeding, breathing heavily out of his mouth. Levi’s leg was growing red from the kicks he sustained, Hange took notice that it was already beginning to swell up.    
  
“I’ll tell you what Johnny, this is the first time I’ve seen Ackerman struggle. Whatever happened to him with that last kick, he’s struggling hard.” Erwin gripped onto his beer bottle listening to the announcer picking off the label with his thumb, Levi looked like hell and his stomach was flipping with each punch Eren threw at him. 

Levi babied his knee at the beginning of the round, barely able to keep weight, but able to stand for the first half of the five minutes, still able to dodge Eren’s punches and retain control of the ring. Eren grew tired of having to meet Levi in the middle and came after him, diving at his legs easily taking him to the ground for the third time that night, Levi had no time to react as he tumbled to the canvas. A mess of blood smeared over his back as Eren wrenched him backwards, his face going into the canvas. The grappled for what seems like an eternity, his knee was screaming at him with every attempt he made to make Eren submit. Every time he would lock his leg into place and apply pressure, his vision would flash a hot white in pain. 

“LEVI YOU HAVE 40 SECONDS LEFT!” Hange screamed from the side, Levi was pinned underneath Eren, struggling to get his arm free so that he had trapped behind his back. If he could just twist his other shoulder into the ground, he could get out of this. His blood dripped onto the canvas below as he shoved his bad knee underneath him, screaming as he moved. Eren pulled harder, normally someone would tap out, but he refused. As he struggled to get his shoulder underneath him felt something in his give and he was able to get onto his back in searing pain. He scrambled to his good knee as quick as he could, but Eren beat him to his feet, locking his head between his arms. He was down, you can’t do much to a down fighter. The grin that Eren had was evil as his blood dripped onto Levi’s back, tightened his arms around his head. He could hear the clap of the 5 second marker. This was done, if he stayed here, Eren couldn't do much, that match would go to him, he had control of the last two rounds.

His eyes widened as a hand ripped at his hair, watching Eren’s knee locking and flying straight towards his head. The cracked echoed in his head as he flew backward, his vision completely fading out. 

Erwin was standing for the last minute of the round, Levi’s scream made his stomach drop. He watched as Eren landed an illegal knee straight into Levi’s head and dropped his beer onto the carpet covering his mouth. All hell broke loose as Eren was ripped off of Levi’s limp body and Pyxis entered into the ring screaming. Hange was right next to Levi, ripping his mouth guard out of his mouth as Levi struggled to breathe, his nose bleeding heavily dripping down his cheeks onto the canvas. 

“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” Hange cursed as another doctor came to stabilize Levi’s head. 

The cameras kept replaying the hit over and over in the corner of the screen, the camera never panning away from Levi’s limp body as it was surrounded by people Erwin’s stomach turned. He could get the panic in Hange’s eyes as they cupped his face yelling at him to wake up.   
  
The announcer spoke, “Well, Ackerman still has yet to move, but we can hear Pyxis yelling from all the way up here about a disqualification. Looks like they are bringing in paramedics. His doctors must think this is serious.” 

“He took a knee into the front of his head, Jeff. I’m not shocked he’s not moving yet. That was definitely an illegal move, could be a career ending move.” 

“Levi...Levi, look at me.” Hange shined their small flashlight straight into his eyes. 

His vision was completely out of focus as he stared up at the ceiling of the arena. Every time they moved his body he felt like he was floating through waves in the ocean and it was making his stomach turn. Every time his heartbeat he could hear the whooshing in his ears as his blood rushed by. 

“Come on kid, come wake up!” his vision went out on him again when his shoulder was moved, all the voices around him sounded like he was underwater.

“Oh god...no, no, no...” Erwin was starting to panic as he started to pace in the living room, eyes fixed on the screen as Levi was taking out of the octagon on a stretcher. Eren got the disqualification illegal knee hit, the match went to Levi, but at what cost?

When his eyes opened again, his surroundings had changed, the loud sirens above bothering him, his head was slightly clearer but the floating wave feeling never left. Hange quickly took notice and grabbed his right hand.

“Hey! You’re waking up, thank god, you’re giving me a panic attack.” 

All the color suddenly drained from his face as clamped his hand over his mouth sitting up abruptly. Hange quickly grabbed the nearest bowl object in the ambulance and held it as Levi empty all the contents of his stomach. 

“Tell them we need a CT scan and MRI on arrival, he definitely has a concussion, a possible tear in his shoulder with dislocation, his left knee is compromised as well,” Hange spoke to the paramedic, rubbing Levi’s back as another wave of nausea rolled over him. 

“Can you give him some nausea medication? He’s gonna fill up his bowl in no time.” The paramedic nodded at Hange’s instruction and pushed the medication into the Levi they had put into his hand. 

“Hange what happened?” Levi forced out, trying to move his shoulder, and cried out in pain.   
  


“I don’t think we should talk about this until you’re completely stable.” 

“Did...Did I lose?” 

Hange shook her head, helping Levi lean back down onto the stretcher without aggravating his shoulder further. 

“I can’t remember anything...I can’t remember.... Wh-where am I...Wh-where are we going?” He felt so disassociated, the world around him constantly spinning, Hange’s face turned into a blur as he tasted iron in the back of his throat. His breathing became uneven and forced. 

“Levi, you need to calm down, you’re making yourself panic.” 

The first wheeze they heard made their body go cold, “Put him back on the oxygen mask, he’s having an asthma attack.” 

* * *

Hange was pacing up and down the hallway, listening to Levi scream as they pulled his shoulder back into place. Hange hasn’t been able to get their hands on his MRI or his other tests yet, it took them more than an hour to get him back from the gallows of the hospital to run these tests. Their phone wouldn’t stop buzzing from Erwin’s phone calls, but they couldn’t call back, not until they knew Levi was completely stable.

Kenny and Mike rushed into the ER waiting room, eyes filled with panic, “What’s going on, how bad it is?” 

Hange sighed, rubbing between their eyes as they started the list, “His knee is completely shot, he’s going to need surgery on it right away when we get back. I have a friend in New York that I already spoke to, I’m going to be sending his MRI scans as soon as I get them. It doesn’t look pretty, but we won’t be able to tell until I see the MRIs.” 

Kenny cursed, taking off his hat, his head falling onto the wall nearest to him, “Fuck! We should have called it for him! He’s too damn stubborn to lose!” 

“I’m killing myself, Kenny. I shouldn’t have let him continue...I’m his fucking doctor and I let him continue...” Hange collapsed onto one of the chairs of the waiting room.

“Guys, stop, this was his doing, he didn’t want to stop.” Mike protested, just as frustrated as them.

“And his shoulder? Something gave that last round, right?” asked Kenny.

Hange shook their head and shrugged, “Just as bad, they popped it back into place, but a muscle is torn.” 

“Is he awake at all? Or do they have him drugged up?” 

“He woke up in the ambulance and puked up everything, so that hit definitely gave him a concussion. I had to walk out, he kept screaming when they popped back in his shoulder...” Hange pulled out their phone, seeing 25 missed calls from Erwin. 

“I need to go call Erwin, he hasn’t stopped calling me.”

“Go, we’ll come get you if anything changes.” Mike tapped their shoulder.

Hange nodded in agreement, standing up walking out of the ER waiting room and to the outside of the building. Dialing Erwin’s phone number, it took less than a full ring for him to pick up. 

“Hange! Is he okay!?” 

“He’s doing fine right now, he’s awake and talking.” 

“What hospital is he at?” 

“Erwin..”

“I’ll get a plane ticket and fly out, I can take-” 

“Erwin! You need to calm down okay?” Hange pinched the bridge of their nose. 

“Please tell me he’s okay!” 

“ERWIN! Calm down!” 

They could hear how exasperated he was and a lighter clicking on, “I’m sorry, I just saw my boyfriend get nailed straight into the head and he did not move after. I was left in the dark for the last few hours..” 

“I know, I’m sorry. I should have called you earlier. Listen, let me go see how he’s doing. He just got his shoulder pulled back into place, I’m not sure he’s awake right now. He didn’t take it very well.” 

“Give me like 30 minutes okay?” they added.

“Hange?”

“Yes?”

“How bad is it?”

“I don’t know yet, let me call you back.”

Hange hung up the phone and pocketed it in the back of their jeans, walking back into the hospital and down to the ER rooms. Kenny and Mike were talking to one of the admitting doctors, his hat against his chest, nodding in agreement to whatever he was telling them. 

“I’m sorry, I’m his primary doctor, I believe I should be in this conversation as well.” Hange interrupted and put out their hand, “Dr. Zoe, Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.” 

“Oh I apologize, Dr. Zoe. I was just telling Mr. Ackerman that we’re going to admit him overnight to make sure the concussion isn’t more serious. He lost consciousness when we adjusted his shoulder and we’re having a hard time waking him back up. Is he sensitive to pain medications?” 

“Very, he doesn’t take anything ever so when something is in his system his body freaks out. Please keep giving him the nausea medication, else these poor nurses are going to be cleaning up puke every time he wakes up.” 

“Got it. I’ll add that to his chart. Now in regards to his knee, his MRI showed a lot of built-up scar tissue, has he had an injury there before?” 

“Ten plus years ago he was in a car accident that dislocated his knee and tore it apart. Can I see these MRIs? Are they available?” the doctor nodded and pulled out the white folder from under his arm and pulled out the MRI image of his knee and placed it on the white light box. 

“Oh fuck…” Hange cursed.

“What the hell am I looking at?” Kenny questioned, starting at the image. 

Hange lifted their hand up, “His kneecap is freely floating around in this cavity with all this swelling. This right here,” they pointed between the joints, “This is touching, this is his old injuries doing, but the bones are literally almost rubbing on each other. I’m shocked he’s even able to stand on this. Looks like we have separation on his ACL and something else here in the back...oh god this isn’t good at all…” 

“How long is the healing process on something like this Hange?” Mike asked.

Hange shook their head and just shrugged, “I don’t know...something this severe it could be almost a year, I don’t know if he’ll be 100% even after surgery because of all this scar tissue.” 

“Shit…” 

“He knew his weak spot, he intended to do damage with that last kick and knee bar.” Mike seethed, “Fucking piece of shit.”

* * *

Levi came to from the obnoxious sound of beeping near his head, he turned his head snuggling into the smell of the sterile pillows. His stomach turned at the smell he hated the most. His eyes peeled open feeling overly heavy from the medications. He could hear arguing from the door of his hospital room. 

“Kenny this is your fault!” Mike’s yells were hushed. 

“Guys, fucking knock it off! Do you want to get kicked out of here?!” 

Hange…

Levi slowly sat up, his left arm was attached to his side, a dull pain radiating from the middle of his shoulder blade. He looked down at his left leg in a contraption to keep his leg as straight as possible, the top of his knee was visible and it was vibrat angry red. As he grew more aware of his surroundings his world started spinning and all the color drained from his face once again. He bile rose to the top of his throat and he clamped his hand over his mouth. One of the nurses had placed a small trash can on the side table to his right that he reached at, emptying everything he had left in his stomach, gagging as it came out. Hange rushed through the door, holding the trash can for him, rubbing his back.    
  


“I’m sorry Levi, I stepped out for only a minute, I didn’t think you were going to wake up.” 

Levi continued to dry heave, spitting out whatever came up into the can. Mike stood in the doorway, his face stricken with worry. Hange continued to sooth Levi as best they could until Levi pushed away the trash can.

“You’re going to have some really bad vertigo for a while… I know you’re sensitive to throwing up. I’ll tell them to get you for nausea medication.” 

Levi closed his eyes, the spinning wasn’t stopping. Hange helped him lay back down, propping his arm up with a pillow to get the pressure off his shoulder. 

“I fucked up.” Levi admitted, his hand clenching into a fist. 

“You didn’t, but your stubbornness finally bit you in the ass.” said Mike as he closed the door behind him walking up to the side of his bed. 

“Levi,” Mike pulled up a chair with a sigh, “Why didn’t you let Hange and Kenny call it.” 

Levi tried to open his eyes to look at Mike but the spinning got too much and he slammed them shut quickly, “I didn’t want to lose...I was so close...I could have gotten him if I had more time. How...how did I get knocked out?” 

“You were down, Jaeger kneed you straight into the face...you’re damn lucky the referee pulled him off or else we could not be having this conversation right now.” 

“A knee? While I was down? That’s so illegal...” 

“He got you in a knee bar before in the previous round, he pulled your shoulder pretty good too, you were in a lot of pain and you lost focus.” Mike admitted.

“Fuck…” Levi sighed, raising his right hand to his face trying to rub away the grogginess. 

“It still went to you, Pyxis called for disqualification because it was illegal, you can’t just knee a down fighter like that. Jaeger almost started fighting with him and got taken away in handcuffs. I don’t think anything came from it though.” Kenny said from the corner of the room. 

Hange’s phone rang on the side table and Levi groaned at the loud noise, “It’s Erwin.” 

“Let me talk to him.” Levi mumbled, covering his eyes with his hand trying to block out the light that was making his eyesight hazy. Hange nodded and answered the FaceTime call. 

“Hange, have you been- Levi!” Erwin’s face lit up seeing his boyfriend on the screen who waved weakly.

“I’m okay…” Levi admitted, trying to open his eyes, finally the spinning was subsiding and he could make out Erwin’s worried face from the phone screen. 

“God, I’ve been so worried.” 

“M’okay...just really..” Levi breathed out, his vision spinning again, “dizzy…” 

“What time is it?” Levi questioned and Kenny looked down at his watch. 

“Nearly 1 am, you’ve been here for the last four hours.” 

“How long do I have to be here, Hange?” 

“They’re keeping you for observation because of your head injury. I’m not sure yet.”

“Are you going to tell him, or should I?” Mike questioned Hange from across the room. The machine next to him buzzed as an alarm and his vision got fuzzy. 

“Te-tell me what…” the morphine drip he was hooked up admininsted its next dose through his IV was his breathing already changed, feeling the effects of the drug. 

“Do-don’t keep things from me…” he slurred, his eyes being forced closed as his head rolled to the side already fast asleep. 

“That shit works quick.” 

* * *

Levi was released for the hospital in Las Vegas the next day and signed him clear for travel back to New York. 

He would be happy, if Hange hadn’t told him the extent of the damage to his knee. 

“Surgery?!” 

“Yes.” 

“A whole fucking year of recovery?!” Levi was sitting up in his hospital bed, cursing at Hange and Mike for not telling him right away, knowing this was the reaction they were going to get. Levi gripped his phone in his hand so tightly, the screen almost bent, he threw it across the room having it shatter against the floor.

“Hange! I can’t do anything for a whole fucking year? As! Answer me!” Hange hung their head down. 

“Levi you could heal quicker, but you need this surgery when you get back to New York!” Mike argued back with his student. 

Levi’s fist hit down into the bed and he stared up at the ceiling with tears edging the side of his eyes. The sudden blood rush to his head made the spinning start again, Mike quickly moved to hold him from falling forward and helped him lay back down. 

“It’s happening...it’s fucking happening...” Levi was beginning to panic as his fear of being properly injured actually came true. 

“I can’t believe this is happening…” 

Pyxis had offered Levi his private plane after hearing the extent to his injuries at no cost to him. It was far easier to go through the smaller private terminal than McCarran International. Hange had Levi in a wheelchair to keep his knee as straight as possible. Even if he could walk, the vertigo was so intense he couldn't even see straight. 

“I’m gonna give you these pain medications for the flight, when we land in New York we’re going to go straight to the hospital for the surgery.” Levi nodded, “The surgery should only be a few hours, and they’ll release you again when you wake up, then you’re on mandatory bed rest for three weeks.” Levi nodded again, holding out his hand for the pain medication, taking it down with water Hange handed to him. He hated the pills, but he hated the way he felt when he was awake, every movement he made, his shoulder screamed in protest, every time he shifted his hips, his knee would spasm and end pain shooting up his back.

* * *

He couldn’t remember the plane ride, or the ride to the hospital, his head was clogged with drugs as he peeled his eyes open. “We can’t tell him, not until he’s been home for a few days. He’ll freak out and make himself worse.” 

Tell him what...now what were they hiding from him? 

Levi whined at the bright lights, rubbing his eyes with his right hand that was bruised up from all the IV’s from the last two days. 

“Hey baby…” Erwin’s sweet voice came closer and a soft hand ran through his hair. 

“I don’t feel good…” Levi whined and Erwin grasped his hand softly kissing his knuckles. 

“You just got out of surgery and the anesthesia is wearing off. You have every right not to feel good.” 

Levi wanted to get closer to Erwin but his body felt so heavy. Erwin continued to pepper light kisses on his hand and on his forehead until Levi’s eyes fluttered open. Hange was standing at the foot of the bed, eye bags were dark, still in her scrubs from sitting in on the surgery to monitor Levi. 

“Do you feel nauseous at all?” They asked and Levi shook his head. 

“I’m just really tired...I wanna go home.” 

“They’re working on your discharge papers as we speak.”

“Yay…” Levi muttered, closing his eyes as Erwin played with his hair. 

“I’m taking two weeks off from my classes to help you at home okay?” Erwin softly rubbed the back of his hand with his thumb. 

Levi opened his mouth to protest and Hange cut him off, “You just had major knee surgery, if you bitch about Erwin helping you, you get me to help and I’m not a nice nurse.” 

Levi sighed, letting his friends get their way for once, being too tired to argue any further. 

Levi was discharged from the hospital, his head was still groggy as they helped him into the car, his leg resting over Erwin’s lap as his head rested against the window, eyes closed. 

“Just have him sleep as much as he wants.” Hange sat in the front, going through the prescriptions they had gotten for Levi, “If you need anything, I’m a phone call away. I can be over in a few days, but I’m on call so I can’t guarantee it. He takes two of these at night to help him sleep, and nausea medication. His vertigo is pretty bad so make sure he gets these so he doesn’t puke so often.” 

“Yes, mom.” Levi rolled his head to the headrest behind it. Erwin gave him a sad smile, rubbing Levi’s ankle on his lap. 

“Levi, if Erwin tells me he catches you standing, I’ll kill you myself.” Hange threatened. 

* * *

The first night home, Levi did nothing but sleep in Erwin’s bed like the dead for almost 15 hours straight. He could have lasted longer until a deep desire for water woke him up, and the stupid sun wasn’t shining through the window, his head felt clearer from the previous day, but now he could feel all the pain radiating down his leg and spreading through his shoulder. 

“Jesus Christ…” Levi muttered, rubbing the sleep with his eyes, slowly pushing himself up, adjusting the pillows behind him to rest his head against the headboard. He started at his knee and the crutches leaned up against the wall within arms reach. He could hear Erwin in the kitchen, clanking around singing to himself softly. He slowly moved to the side of the bed, fingertips barely reaching the handle of the crutches before they slid off the wall falling onto the floor. Levi sighed in defeat, his head hitting the back of the headboard. 

Erwin opened up the door to the bedroom and let out a sigh of relief that Levi was sitting up and not actually trying to move around. 

“Good morning, well, almost evening actually. You slept like the dead.” 

“I feel like the dead...I need a shower…” 

Erwin tsked and shook his head, “No can do baby, can’t get your stitches wet for another week.” 

“I have hospital all over me, I know Hange or a nurse wiped of the piece of shits blood, but I can still feel it on me, and you’re denying me a shower?” Levi scoffed, rubbing his arm in its sling. 

“How about this,” Erwin suggested, “I made pasta, I’ll help you out to the couch, we’ll eat, then I can help you into the bath, we can keep your leg elevated out of the water.” Levi nodded and Erwin came over to the side of the bed, Levi’s good arm circling around Erwin’s neck as he slowly helped him to stand on his right leg. 

Levi could hear all the blood rush past his ears as he stood, Erwin’s eyes went wide as the color drained from his face and Levi nearly went limp in his arms. 

“Woah there!” Erwin swiftly picked him up, the splint keeping his leg straight as his other bend around Erwin’s arm.

Levi’s head rolled back at full attention looking at Erwin, “That was scary…” 

“Did you pass out?” Erwin carefully moved Levi out of the bedroom and sat him carefully on the couch, putting the throw pillows underneath his ankle. 

“I think so...I think it was from laying down for so long. My body isn’t used to being immobile like this.” 

“I don’t blame it, let me go get you the nausea medicine, you’re looking a little green.” 

Levi nodded, watching Erwin as he filled up a glass of water for him and opened up one of the many pill containers on the counter. Levi held out his hand and he popped two pills into his palm, Levi threw them back into his mouth and took the glass of water from Erwin finishing almost the entire thing. 

“I got your phone replaced too while I was out.” Erwin put the phone box on his lap that he kept behind his back. 

“Thank you. I’ll send you the money for it.” He said as he lifted up the lid and took out the new phone, powering it on. 

Erwin shook his head, “Don’t worry about it right now.” He kissed the top of Levi’s head and went back into the kitchen to serve the pasta. 

As they ate in silence, Levi barely picked at his dinner, only taking a single bit every minute or two as he scrolled through the phone adding in all his apps. He opened up YouTube and searched for his recent fight. He turned his phone on his side, putting it down on his knees, lifting up his bowl to take another bite. Erwin had long finished taking his bowl to wash it in the sink before heading into the bathroom to start the bath. 

Levi watched carefully, seeing the moment where his knee tore made him cringe. “Jesus Christ why didn’t I stop then…” 

“I was questioning the same thing.” 

He continued to watch the final round, watching as Eren jumped on him, tearing his shoulder back and the moment it popped out of place. His yell barely being picked up by the cameras as the crowd was yelling. Then the chaos afterwards. Watching his limp body get surrounded by everyone and Hange’s face in pure panic. 

Pyxis had grabbed the referee by his collar of his shirt yelling, the cameras muting him to not get backlash. 

Eren was being held back by his sister Mikasa and his trainer who looked exactly like him, maybe his father. Pyxis was right in his face, bright red with anger and a finger pointed at the boy yelling. 

In a thick German accent Eren yelled back at the president, “That’s what he gets! That’s what he gets for being gay in the UFC. He’s a disgrace to this sport!”

Levi dropped his fork into the bowl, his eyes wide picking up the phone. The crowd was booing as Eren got dragged out as the EMTs were making their way in. 

“I had control of the whole fight...what the fuck was I thinking…” 

“As soon as he got your knee it changed, your head wasn’t in it anymore.”

“I was in too much pain.” He sighed, putting his half eaten bowl on the coffee table, “I can’t eat anymore. I don’t feel well.”

“Do you want something else? Something lighter?” 

Levi shook his head, setting his phone down, adjusting to the pillows to lay down. “I’m so tired. I’ve never been so tired like this.”

“Let’s get you a bath first before you fall asleep on the couch honey.” 

“I’m so sleepy…” Levi sighed into the pillows closing his eyes.

Erwin frowned, “I’ll carry you again okay?”

He nodded, raising his arm up and Erwin carefully lifted him up taking him to the bathroom. 

“Sit and I’ll take off the brace, take your arm out of the sling, but be careful. Don’t over do it and hurt yourself.”

“I got it. I got it..” he pulled the sling over his head, wincing as the weight of his arm pulled on his shoulder. They had changed him into a loose shirt from the hospital to make it easier for him to get his shoulder out. He undid the buttons of his sleeping shirt and pulled down the fabric revealing the long bruise running from the base of his neck to the back of his shoulder blade. 

“This hurts…” the wave of dizziness came over him and he felt sick, “I’m getting dizzy again.” Levi gripped onto the side of the counter, hanging his head down. Erwin’s hands dropped from his brace and held him up leaning him back against the base of the toliet. 

“Easier there. Don’t pass out on me.” 

“I’m not gonna...I’m not gonna pass out.” He rolled his head back letting it rest against the wall, “Just take the damn brace off.”

Erwin made quick work of taking off the Velcro straps to the metal brace, the fresh air hitting his leg felt relieving. 

“Lift up your hips.” 

Levi's good arm gripped onto Erwin’s shoulder as he pushed up his hips, wincing as he pulled down his boxers, he felt exasperated at just doing these simple tasks. 

“This is a lot harder than I realized…” Levi admitted. 

“Your body is in pain and you’re not used to it.”

“I’m used to pain but not like this…” 

“It’ll get better with time, Levi.” 

It took several minutes but they managed to get him into the tub, Levi sighed in the warmth of the water leaning his head back as Erwin poured it over his scalp. He felt disgusting, his hair was greasy and built up sweat from the days prior. 

“Feel better?”

“You have no idea.” 

Erwin suds up his hands, carefully working the soap into his body, being mindful of his shoulder and other injuries, he carefully went to raise his left arm to get underneath and Levi hissed out. 

“Sorry, sorry, sorry. This bruise looks really bad.”

“It feels really bad. Please be careful.” 

“I’m trying, baby.” 

After Erwin washed his hair, his fingers worked away the tangles that had formed, lightly massaging the shampoo into his scalp. Levi hummed, his eyes closed, his right hand holding himself steady as Erwin rinsed away the suds. 

“Let’s rinse you off then get you back into bed.”

Levi nodded, eyes fluttered back open looking up at him, his eyes looking as sad as a kicked puppy, “I’m sorry I’m so useless.” 

Erwin’s heart shattered, at Levi’s description of himself. 

“You’re not useless, Levi… you’re injured.”

“I’m not used to this.” 

“Well, get used to it, you have me here to help you.”

It was even harder for Levi to get out of the tub, a careful dance of dizziness and trying not to slip took them five minutes just to sit him back on the toilet. Levi dried off his hair with his good hand while Erwin put back on the brace after drying his legs off. 

“I feel so much better…” he admitted, pulling the towel off, attempting to fold it with his useful hand on his lap. 

“I’ll take care of it later,” he motioned to the towel, “Let's get you back into bed.” 

Erwin picked him back up carefully, having the towel cover Levi’s middle for decency, a warm kiss on his cheek surprised him before he lowered Levi down into the bed. 

“Thank you.” 

Erwin smiled softly, turning to open his closet, “I don’t think you have anything that’s super loose to pull over your shoulder, so use my night shirts for now, until you can wear yours.” 

“Your stuff is huge on me.” He watched as Erwin picked out his white t-shirt he knew was two sizes too large for him.

“It’ll be easier for you to get in and out of them when you need to. Boxers or briefs?” 

Levi thought for a moment, attempting to get briefs on over his brace would be too difficult, “Boxers.” 

Erwin left to go upstairs to Levi’s closet to get him a pair of boxers, Levi carefully pulled the t-shirt over his head, sticking his good arm through. His face twisted in pain as he weakly nudged his compromised arm through the whole the best he could without moving it much. Any movement made his shoulder blade scream in agony. He looked down at the shirt that he was now swimming in that hit the middle of his thighs. 

“You know you have a very strange habit of folding your socks, why don’t you just roll them like every-” Erwin stopped in his tracks tilting his head. Even with two bruised eyes, a sling, and a full leg brace, seeing Levi in one of his shirts made his heart flip. 

“What?” Levi asked. 

Erwin shook away his thoughts, “Nothing, here.” He had Levi swing his legs over to the edge of the bed, shimming up the boxers over the brace and settling them on his hips. 

“I brought socks too.” 

—-

Levi thought Hange was kidding about the three weeks bed rest and that he would be up and out within a week, but his energy level was completely shot. He spent his days doing nothing but sleeping constantly. Barely waking up for a meal here and there before falling back asleep on the couch. Erwin expressed his worry to Hange on how much he had been sleeping, but they explained during a brain injury recovery, that this was the best way for someone to recover. His eating was another thing, he had no appetite whatsoever, everything that he would eat would almost always come back up from the dizzyspells. Erwin got concerned that he was dropping weight so quickly, every time he would help him bath he was getting easier and easier to pick up. He would make Levi’s favorite steak dish and he would barely finish half of it, when in the past he would ask if there was more.

“Levi?” Levi looked over at Erwin as he pulled his shirt over his thin frame, slowly pulling his injuries arm through the hole. His hair was still wet from the shower. Levi had just gotten the stitches out at his recent appointment last week and Hange allowed him to put weight on his leg, only if he would use the crutches. He wasn’t as useless as he was the first week, and the new found freedom of not having Erwin hover over him was relieving. 

“Hmm?” 

“I know you eat when I make something, but are you eating anything as snacks when I’m at class?”

Levi pulled his arm sling over his shoulder and placed his arm back inside, “Kinda... if I’m not working out I’m not hungry.” 

His shoulder was feeling far better and the dark black bruise had started to fade away to his yellow color now, the bruises underneath his eyes were also fading away and he looked less like a rabid raccoon. Levi picked up the crutch and pushed himself off the bed, leaning most of his weight on to his right leg and used the crutch to hobble out of the bedroom. 

“I’m gonna make a bagel, want something?” Levi asked as Erwin followed him to the kitchen. Erwin was very cautious around him, having to catch him several times from dizzy spells or straight passing out onto the floor. 

“Put one in for me too.”

Erwin had left for the day to head to the university to get caught up on emails and have a few lectures, kissing him quickly while he laid on the couch and then headed out the door. Levi gave a small sigh, he hated every minute he was awake. His shoulder no longer had to be in the sling, but Hange banned him from lifting anything and okayed just light stretches. His eyes flickered around the apartment, he knew that Erwin was trying to keep it clean to his standards but the dust that accumulated on the tv-stand made him agitated. He reached for his crutch, pushing himself off the couch and hobbled over to the side closet with all the cleaning supplies that were disorganized. 

He let out another frustrated sigh, putting his crutch against the door and started to organize the products before taking out the caddy. The tv-stand was the first thing dusted. Then the pictures. Then the table, the side tables, not stopping until everything was sufficiently dust free.

The counter was cleared off and wiped down and then disinfected. The small tasks he would usually finish in less than an hour spanned almost two, then three. Laundry was another story, trying to drag the basket out from the bedroom to the washing machine was a feat. He gave up at kicking it across the floor with his good leg and picked it up. He when he felt no stinging pain in his shoulder a spark lit off inside his head. 

While laundry was running as he was able to vacuum up all the dust bunnies Erwin had missed, and was even able to pulled out the mop. It was less than efficient with one hand and hopping around, but he was able to get to the front area and the kitchen before he stopped from exhaustion sitting down on the high stool at the counter putting his head down on the cool granite. 

After he rested to get back some of his energy, he sat up seeing the dishes from last night and this morning's breakfast still sitting in the sink. 

“One more thing and then you’re done, and you’re back on the couch.” He said to himself and he grabbed his crutch and pushed himself up. 

His easiest task yet, since all he had to do was lean on the counter for support. He placed the freshly washed dish to his left, as soon as the plate left his hand the ringing in his ears started. 

“Fuck..” Levi’s wet hand covered his eye as his vision got cloudy. He fumbled to shut off the water, grasping for his crutch for support. Couch… get to the couch… 

Levi hobbled over as quickly as he could to the couch, the ringing in his ear just grew louder and his vision started spotting. His right leg gave out from underneath him and his whole world went dark. 

* * *

Erwin opened up the apartment with a bright smile, happy to be home after a long day of lectures. “Levi, I brought thai food for dinner!” He looked around at the apartment immediately smelling the scent of cleaning products. 

“I hope you weren’t up all day doing this…” Erwin sighed, seeing the bubbles still in the sink. 

When he rounded the corner of the couch, Levi was shaking on the floor. His heart dropped as he threw his bags down, holding onto Levi’s head to stop it from hitting onto the floor. His whole body was stiff, his breathing ragid and uncontrollably. 

“Oh baby, baby you’re okay.” Erwin tried to use calming words. Hange warned him about this, the possibility of a seizure was highly likely after a head injury. 

“Shhh….shhh.” Levi shaking lessened, he weakly gripped onto Erwin’s thighs his shoulders started to shake, his nose dripping and his eyes wet. 

Erwin tilted his chin to try to see Levi’s eyes, his pupils were blown out and his eyes were scared, a wetness came on his fingertips, he moved his hand seeing it covered in blood, running down Levi’s chin onto his shirt. His eyes widened tilting his head back further seeing the gash underneath his chin. He looked frantically to what he could have hit, seeing the corner of the coffee table having a splatter of blood. 

Erwin panicked, “Levi, did you fall?” 

Levi nodded weakly clinging harder onto him, “H-Hange… I need Hange...”

* * *

Hange stormed into Levi’s hospital room holding his chart underneath their arm. Levi hid his head underneath the pillow from Hange’s wrath. Erwin was stroking his back holding the trash can that Levi was emptying his stomach into prior to Hange’s entrance.

“What the fuck happened?” Hange was in full work mode, but seeing their best friend back in the hospital they lost all bedside manners. 

“I was doing the dishes and I got dizzy.” Levi mumbled underneath the pillow. 

“What else were you doing because Molbit said during your CT scan that you smelled like pine sol.” Hange walked over and moved the pillow from Levi’s hands. 

“Tell me you weren’t cleaning the apartment and I won’t get mad.” 

Levi looked down, shutting his eyes tightly.

“I’m sorry…” Levi muttered, “I felt good today and I just wanted to-“

“You’re pushing yourself too hard Levi…it’s not just your knee and your shoulder Levi, you took a knee straight into your head and got knocked out. You have a brain injury. You had a seizure!” Hange sighed sitting down in the corner of the room on the chair. 

“Where was Erwin! Why won’t you let him help?” 

“He has been helping! He was at the university all day and I’m sick and tired of sitting down on the couch doing nothing!” Levi sat up to argue only to be put back down by Erwin. 

“Levi you need to listen to us.” Erwin warned, Levi looked up at him, his frustration finally getting to him and his eyes shined with tears brimming his eyes. 

“I’m sorry...” He whimpered.

“You’ve had two concussions now in the span of three weeks…you could have another seizure or worse. I’m putting you on bed rest again for at least a week until you stop getting these dizzy spells.”

“But Hange!”

“You’re not arguing with me on this anymore Levi! You had a brain injury. If you have another it could be catastrophic and you would need to retire!”

All his fears felt like they were coming true. Hange stormed out of his room, slamming the door behind them.

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m really really sorry. Please don’t kill me.


End file.
